The Back of My Mind
by The89thSword
Summary: Zexion was adjusting to life in college, studying in the peace and quiet of the library, when he was approached by the strangest person he had ever met. How could he NOT want to see him again? Rated M for alcohol consumption and adult situations, potential drug use and more adult stuff in later chapters (lemon). Zemyx, side AkuRoku
1. Oddball

The Back of My Mind

By : Shawnathan

[A/N : This is my first time ever attempting anything remotely like this, so if your feedback _is_ negative, please keep it constructive. Many thanks~ ]

**[Disclaimer : I own nothing. All credit to Disney/Square Enix]**

The library was always quiet. Quiet enough for one to concentrate on their work, and study in peace; that was what Zexion adored about the place. It was only his second year in college, but already he had tired of people's endless pranks, incessant partying, willful destruction of their own livers... and he had tried _so _hard to pick a school whose reputation was sound.

Apparently, Twilight University was an academic haven on the surface, but had a deeply ingrained party culture, with many who supported it. The library was only inhabited by the truly resolute students, the ones determined to maintain a high GPA. Zexion closed his laptop, and gathered up the various books strewn about the table, ready to leave when he was approached by a young man with the most obtuse hair he had ever seen in his life.

"Hey there! How's it g-"

The boy was abruptly shushed by the head librarian, causing him to flinch a little. He clasped his hands together, giving her an apologetic look. He turned back to Zexion, his face still lit up with a genuine sort of happiness that Zexion wasn't used to.

"Erm... nice to meet you..." He trailed off, realizing the boy had never finished what he was saying, or introduced himself. Zexion was nothing if not polite.

"Same here! My name's Demyx." Demyx seemed to almost radiate good vibes, a relaxing aura that Zexion had never felt.

"My name's Zexion, pleased to make your acquaintance." He offered his hand, which Demyx accepted and shook excitedly. Zexion tried to maintain eye contact, but found his eyes drifting up to Demyx's hair yet again. It was an odd cross between a mohawk and a mullet, but it seemed to suit him well enough... unique if nothing else. Demyx seemed to notice his eyes move up, and giggled. Zexion dropped his gaze, embarrassed, but when he looked up Demyx simply stared back, smiling. His eyes were a bright teal, very alluring and deep, like the ocean.

"Everyone seems to think it's a bit weird, but I like it." Demyx whispered. He crossed his legs, reaching into the bag he had slung over his slender shoulder. He pulled out a flyer, which would have normally made Zexion roll his eyes and sigh, but he wondered what cause this bubbly person could be supporting. There was no way he was trying to raise money for Nigerian goat herders like those kids from last week... nowhere near self-righteous enough.

Zexion took the flyer, eyeballing it with a strange curiosity. It had the name "Wet Sand" splashed across the top in some ornate, trippy font. Several other strange names were listed below, with a name and address for a local pub, one that Zexion had actually attended a few times. The music was always chill, the atmosphere relaxing, and the drinks affordable. He looked back up to Demyx, who was waiting patiently as he read.

"I thought I'd seen you at the pub a few times. I play sitar in Wet Sand." Demyx said, his high cheekbones accentuating his wide smile. "It's only five bucks at the door, if you're interested." Demyx's face was cheerful, but hopeful as he waited for Zexion to answer. Zexion felt himself smiling back a little, something he didn't do with much frequency, but... it was hard to be gloomy around Demyx.

"I suppose so, I don't have any classes tom-" He was cut off as Demyx leaned forward and hugged him tightly, causing his face to go quite red. Demyx immediately pulled back, scratching at the back of his head sheepishly.

"I'm really sorry, that wasn't very... I shouldn't have-"

"It's alright." Was it? Why was that alright? Zexion had to shake the questions out of his head so they didn't distract him from the conversation. Demyx was rocking back in his chair, even balancing it on two legs with some degree of ease, sitting like that for a while without speaking up again, still clearly embarrassed about his actions. To Zexion's surprise, it was he who decided to break the awkward silence. "So why 'Wet Sand', are you a Chili Peppers tribute band or something?" Demyx almost fell backward, catching himself just in time, and burst out laughing, earning another dirty look from the librarian. He calmed his raucous laughter down to a giggle, smiling cheekily again.

"You wouldn't _believe_ how often we get that. The name is just something our drummer and I came up with... we both love the ocean." His mind seemed to drift a bit, the expression on his face so content that Zexion could almost hear seagulls, and waves crashing around them.

Zexion found himself staring, and tried to shake the image of Demyx's serene face from his mind. He stood, Demyx sliding gracefully to his feet next to him. He sighed when he realized that Demyx was almost a head taller than he was... not that he wasn't used to being short at this point, but still.

"I... I need to head back to the dorm, yet another paper to write." Why was he feeling nervous? He shouldn't be feeling this way in this situation... that was his real reason for leaving. Demyx either didn't notice, or didn't mind, simply acknowledging his reason with a nod.

"It's okay, as long as you show up tomorrow night, 'kay?" Demyx said, his eyes squinting up as he smiled another wide smile.

"O-Ok... I'll be there." He was still feeling a little nervous, but more than that, found himself looking forward to seeing this strange person again. "You're really odd, you know that?" He didn't want to offend Demyx, but the words almost seemed obligatory.

"I get that a lot. See you tomorrow night Zexy!" He said cheerfully, waving as he strode off, his every movement graceful.

"Zexy?" Zexion simply gawked for a moment before realizing what he was doing, shaking his head again, and heading back to his dorm, flyer in hand.

Zexion hadn't been able to concentrate on his studies after his chance encounter with Demyx, and even his recreational reading failed to hold his attention. He had taken special care to try and appear stylish, being that he didn't go out often. A black button-up shirt, dark gun-metal gray jeans that were worn in with natural tears and scuffs, and black leather boots seemed like a good choice to him at the time; he felt his decision was sound when he walked into the bar. None of his jewelry or other accessories seemed out of place, and he didn't feel over-dressed. He briefly wondered why he'd taken such care about it, even obsessively combing his slate hair just the way he liked it... it wasn't like he was on a date or anything.

The pub was crowded, but not so much that it was uncomfortable, and he didn't have much trouble finding a seat at the expansive bar. He ordered an Irish coffee, sipping carefully as he listened to the sounds of one of the opening bands. He felt a tap on his left shoulder, and turned to see... no one. He quickly turned around to check his right, and was greeted by a large pair of bright teal eyes.

"Hey Demyx." He had tried to sound casual, but heard the tinge of nerves in his own voice. Demyx seemed oblivious. He couldn't tell if that was an act, or just Demyx being... Demyx.

"It's good to see you again, thanks for coming out!" Demyx's perpetually cheery smile was plastered on his face, his hand reaching out as the bartender handed him a beer. He was wearing deep blue skinny jeans with an excessive number of rips and holes, a battered looking tank top that hung low on his delicate shoulders, sandals, and several hemp necklaces and leather wristbands. He had on a toe ring, and, Zexion had just noticed, several rings in each ear. He was surprised he hadn't noticed that before. It wasn't like him to miss the little details like that.

"Well, I said I would. When does your band go on?" Zexion was relaxing a little, perhaps partly due to the caffeine and alcohol, but it was easier to converse with Demyx, so he was content with that.

"About ten more minutes, after this set. I was worried you wouldn't show, since you missed most of the the opening bands. I'm glad you came." Demyx looked like he always meant every word he said, one of those rare individuals who didn't put up a front. They just... were who they were.

Zexion opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by someone yelling in their direction. A tall redhead was walking toward them, his hair even more off-the-wall than Demyx's, large red spikes sticking out like the bloodied blades of so many swords. It was intimidating, his presence made even more so by the black spikes tattooed under his eyes. When he approached, however, he wrapped an arm around Demyx's shoulders, and put on a relaxed smile. Demyx gestured to Zexion before speaking.

"Zexion, this is our singer and guitarist Axel. Axel, this is Zexion." Axel had promptly shoved his hand forward, shaking Zexion's with almost _too_ much enthusiasm. Clad mostly in black, the only color to be found on Axel, aside from his hair, was a red heart that became a skull on his tight t-shirt. Axel leaned in close to speak over the music as the last opening band was finishing up their final song.

"That's A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?" He pointed to his head, seeming proud of himself as he stated that simple bit of information. Zexion just smiled back, nodding. Axel turned to Demyx again, his face a little serious, if only for half a second. "Time for sound check. Let's do this." Demyx nodded, his face bright and eager. He turned to Zexion, their hands brushing against one another on the bar. Zexion shivered a little, blushing a bit (why was he doing that _again_?), but maintained eye contact at least. Demyx was blushing too, but didn't hesitate as he spoke up.

"I have to go get ready Zexy, wish me luck!" Demyx was as docile as ever when he walked to the stage and began setting up gear, but his face also showed a deep-seated determination. Zexion tried not to stare, not to study him as they set their equipment up and began sound check, but his eyes betrayed him. At one point Demyx looked over at him, and he was awestruck. His mind blank, he simply mouthed "good luck". Demyx beamed, drawing his fingers across the strings of his sitar as Wet Sand began their first song.

It was pretty chillaxed music, but with a subtle rock edge that reared it's head when Axel would step back from the mic for a guitar solo. Zexion nodded along happily, actually cheering audibly with the crowd when Demyx broke into a fast-paced and intricate solo of his own. When they had finished, crowd opinion seemed favorable, people bursting into boisterous applause. Zexion was legitimately impressed by the show, and was clapping wildly, his eyes fixed on the band... or were they fixed on Demyx? Demyx's eyes found his again, seeking approval. Zexion flashed a thumbs-up, and continued clapping, getting another big smile from the spiky blonde. After all of their gear was packed away, and the crowds had died down, Demyx walked his way, pausing to wipe a light sheen of sweat from his brow with a towel he had draped over one shoulder.

"So, what'd you think?" He seemed utterly content, like he'd just won a million dollars. Perhaps that was just more of Demyx being himself.

"You were great. I'm honestly happy I decided to come out..." He had ordered a few more drinks during their set, and was a little buzzed, but not flat-out drunk. He felt as though there were more to say, but his eyes were exploring the statuesque curves of Demyx's body. He looked away as Demyx seemed to figure out what he was doing, his face reddening yet again. What was so alluring about this boy? Why couldn't he keep his eyes off of him?

"I'm glad you came, too... Zexy." Demyx's voice had faltered for a moment, his tone changing to something almost... almost what? Seductive? No, no, of course not, it couldn't be. Could it? Zexion had noticed the pause, and the tone, but chose to ignore the implication as Demyx spoke again. "Do... do you want to have a drink with me Zexy?" His eyes widened, but his face calmed quickly as he considered that. Why not? He was already a little buzzed, one or two more wouldn't hurt, and he wanted to hang out with Demyx some more. He was fun to be around, so much so that Zexion didn't mind knocking a few more back with him, which was out of character for him.

"Okay. Sure, why not? Did the rest of the band take off?" Zexion was wondering about that as he glanced around, not seeing them.

"Yeah, Axel wanted to go spend some time with Roxas." His smile was still present, but there was something else there.

"Roxas?"

"Yeah, his boyf... a good friend of his. They're sort of attached at the hip, you know?" Demyx seemed almost envious as he talked about it, so Zexion decided to change the subject as he ordered them each another drink. Demyx seemed happy with that as he pulled up a stool.

Zexion had sat and talked with Demyx for a long time, perhaps too long, and consumed more drinks than he had intended to. He was a bit woozy, and Demyx didn't want to let him go home alone. When Zexion brought up the location of his dorm, Demyx insisted that the apartment he shared with the band was closer, and would have a space for him to pass out in peace. He claimed that Axel would be out all night anyway, and that it was no trouble. Finally giving in, Zexion stumbled drunkenly alongside Demyx until they reached the apartment.

It looked like the inside of a wrecked pirate ship, but that seemed to somehow fit the musician's aesthetic tastes. Demyx tried to help him to the couch, but as they got close, Zexion tripped over the low coffee table, and they both crashed to the ground. His head spun a little, and he winced in pain. When his eyes opened, Demyx's teal eyes were inches from his, his face flushed.

"Zexy... I..." Zexion felt Demyx's knee slide forward, rubbing against his crotch, making his hear skip a beat. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I... I've liked you since the moment I first saw you at that pub. That's why we even played there, I convinced the others it was a good place, I... I'm sorry if that was a little creepy, but I've had you in the back of my mind for _sooo_ long..." Demyx was moving closer, and Zexion felt his heart rate spike. He couldn't move, or was it that he didn't want to move? He had never been in this position with anyone, never felt such intense feelings. He couldn't stop what happened next.

Their lips connected, the kiss gentle at first, Demyx pulling back to place a few on his cheek and neck. When they connected again, their tongues danced, Demyx moaning into his mouth with an erotic edge that Zexion didn't think he'd ever heard. He couldn't stop himself from responding to Demyx's advances, his body seemingly starved for attention. Demyx pulled back briefly, their breaths erratic as he struggled to speak.

"Is this oh... okay? I... I'll stop if... if this feels wrong or... or you..." He finally managed to sputter out. Zexion was looking up at him breathlessly, and felt his body doing things he wasn't telling it to. His right hand rose to cradle Demyx's neck and cheek, rubbing him affectionately. Demyx leaned into his touch, making a sound like a cat purring as goosebumps shot up his frail arms. Demyx reached a thin hand down, calloused fingertips brushing the slate hair from Zexion's face.

"Why do you hide such a handsome face?" Demyx asked, his teal eyes glazed over and half-lidded. Zexion felt a little embarrassed, but also a small sliver of pride. He was _handsome_? He never thought himself ugly, but...

"I... I don't know..." Zexion could barely construct a sentence anymore, his mind was so hazy. Demyx edged closer, nipping at the nape of his neck before rising up for a proper kiss, his hands hurriedly unbuttoning Zexion's shirt.

Zexion allowed Demyx to do as he pleased, his bare chest and stomach shivering from the sudden gust of night air. Demyx ran a hand up his body, exploring him as they kissed. His head was all fuzzy, but in one aspect it was completely clear; he wanted this right now. He wanted Demyx. As Demyx pulled back for air, he bit gently at his lower lip, pulling his own shirt off and tossing it over the globe in the corner of the modest living room.

"You're... y-you're beautiful." Zexion said, watching his hands slither up Demyx's body. Demyx smiled that cheeky smile, and gently pinned those hands above his head. He was going to protest (he was enjoying participating), but in that moment he trusted Demyx. His trust was rewarded.

Demyx leaned in close to his ear, whispering to him as he nibbled at his earlobe. "Don't worry Zexy, I'll be gentle with you. You're important to me." Zexion's eyes conveyed what his words could not, granting Demyx permission to continue. He gulped as Demyx reached down to unbutton his pants, kissing his way down as he fiddled with the zipper.

"I...I..."

Zexion was cut off as the front door swung open, Axel shuffling in with his arm around the shoulders of a young blonde boy, who seemed to be struggling to support the weight of Axel's lanky body. It probably didn't help that he was _much_ shorter than Axel. Was that Rox... whatever his name was? His curiosity faded almost immediately as he realized the position he was in, and who he was in it with. The clarity was such a shock that he sat up, causing a look of confusion to splash across Demyx's face, and Axel to look right at them. Contrary to what he thought was going to happen, Axel simply chuckled, smiling as he headed to a room in the back of the house that must have been his bedroom. With R... Roxas? He shook his head, trying to organize his thoughts, but he couldn't maintain any sense of control. Demyx was looking embarrassed again, his usual elated expression replaced with one of remorse, and even a little shame. He didn't make eye contact with Zexion as he spoke, his voice quiet and apologetic.

"I'm sorry Zexy, they weren't... I thought that they would be out much later, that we could be alone. I'm really, _really _sorry." Zexion hated seeing Demyx like this. It didn't suit him at all.

"It's... it's alright... they looked far more inebriated than us, perhaps they won't remember." He wondered why he had decided to word it that way, but... it sounded right in his head.

"W-Would it... would it bother you if they did? If you did?" Demyx asked, looking into his soul with those clear teal eyes.

"I don't know. This is my first time... doing anything like this." He had always considered himself straight, but that was just by default; he had never found another male attractive, but... Demyx was different.

Demyx scooted closer to him, curling up, head resting on his shoulder. He looked up, and their lips touched again, brushing each other ever so slightly. "If you're tired, Zexy, we can end it here for tonight. There will be other nights."

Zexion thought about that for a moment. Other nights... more time with Demyx. More of... that. His face reddened and Demyx smiled up at him.

"Pervert~" Demyx cooed.

Zexion laughed, but could already feel himself falling asleep. He was exhausted, and it was so hot in the living room, his cloudy head couldn't take any more of this. He didn't want to tell Demyx to move, even though the body heat was only making him warmer. The smell of citrus wafted up from Demyx's spikes, calming his spinning head down a little. He loved that smell, and the feeling of smooth skin against his own. Just before his eyes closed and sent him into unconsciousness, he saw Demyx plant a small kiss on his chest. The scene was so perfect, he hoped he was coherent enough to remember it the next day.


	2. Things to Consider

By : Shawnathan

[A/N : Let me know where my errors are, and please review if you're so inclined. Domo~ ]

**[Disclaimer : I own nothing. All credit to Disney/Square Enix]**

The sunlight bleeding its way through the drapes was blinding. Zexion awoke slowly, and painfully. His head was killing him, and he deserved it; he had consumed one too many alcoholic beverages, far surpassing the limits he imposed on himself. He abhorred this sort of excess, and was kind of regretting it. Before he could spare another thought on the subject, his head lolled to the side, his eyes widening with surprise. There was a shirtless sitar player curled up by his side, head resting on his shoulder, whose face was the very definition of "peaceful".

Zexion had the presence of mind not to panic, but it was not without effort. He remembered only bits and pieces of the events following Wet Sand's show. What had he done? He glanced down at himself, and saw that his own shirt was unbuttoned and askew, his pants in equal disarray. Had they...? No. He would never do that, not on the first date. Had it even been that? Was it a date? Sure, they had gone out for drinks after the show, but friends shared a few drinks all the time. It could have been completely platonic. Zexion rubbed his eyes, trying to shake the feeling that it was anything _but_ platonic.

As gentle as he could, Zexion slid a pillow under Demyx's head to replace his shoulder, sliding away unnoticed. Luckily for him, Demyx seemed to sleep like a rock. He felt somewhat bad about sneaking out this way, but he needed some time alone to himself. He couldn't handle this overload of new and frightening information right now. He was somehow able to locate a scrap of paper and a pen, shaking it and scribbling a bit to get the ink flowing. Demyx might not know what to make of the message, but it had been clear and concise, if perhaps a bit confusing. Taking care to make himself look a bit less disheveled, he headed for the door.

"Mornin' sunshine." Axel said with a seedy grin, drinking orange juice from the carton as he stood next to the fridge in his boxers.

Zexion looked away, embarrassed at himself, and for Axel's sheer lack of humility. Axel didn't seem the type to fret over such things, however, so he turned to face him. Zexion's deep blue eyes connecting with the acidic green of Axel's.

"Could you please keep last nights happenings to yourself? Your silence would be appreciated... and remembered." Zexion had tried to sound confident, which wasn't a trait he was able to exude easily. Most of the time, his face was a blank and emotionless shadow, almost such that you wouldn't be able to remember it well enough to describe it to anyone. Axel tilted his head to the side, his slanted grin seeming a little sinister, but he nodded.

"Not my story to tell." Axel stated simply, taking another swig of orange juice. "Besides, Demyx would never forgive me. He never shuts up about you, you know."

Zexion blushed, nodding in understanding, and turning to leave. He paused at the door, hand on the knob, resisting the urge to turn on heel and go back. "Tell him I'm sorry... when he wakes up." He said, his voice cracking a little as a knot formed in his throat. Axel chuckled, and Zexion heard him tossing the juice back into the fridge.

"I'm not your messenger. You got something you need to tell him, tell him yourself." Axel said flatly.

Zexion heard footsteps heading to the back of the house, and took that as his cue to go. He couldn't shake the feeling of regret from his head no matter how much space he put between himself and that house. It wasn't so much that he _wanted_ to leave things that way, but he needed time. He based his existence on order, on his ability to have perfect control over himself, perfect concentration... logic without emotion.

Demyx woke to the sounds and smells of eggs frying. He knew it would be Roxas in the kitchen; Axel couldn't cook a proper meal if his life depended on it. Demyx's hand rose to wipe at his eyes, and that was when it hit him. He hadn't gone to sleep on the living room floor alone, that would be stupid. Zexion was gone. He looked around and saw no one but Roxas, who he called out to.

"Hey, Roxy!" He called out with a wave. "Have you seen Zexion? Broody kid, hair slung over one eye, a little shy?"

Roxas shook his head as he answered, his hands busy with the food. "No, he must have already left. Sorry, Demyx. Also, will you stop calling me Roxy? Keep that up and Axel will start doing it, and then it'll never go away." Turning his attention back to cooking, Roxas left Demyx to his thoughts.

His last bit of hope shot down, Demyx slumped down where he had slept, wishing that Zexion was still there with him. It was then that his eyes came across a piece of paper, hastily scribbled on and folded up, resting on the coffee table in front of him. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but reached forward to grab the paper anyway. Taking a deep breath, he unfolded it and read.

There was a little squiggly line, but below was the most intricate handwriting he had ever seen seen. It read simply "I'm sorry. Don't hate me for leaving." Demyx frowned, his normally upbeat personality shot down by the message.

Over the next few days, Zexion had avoided the library, and taken to studying on the roof of the literature department, as that was his major. It wasn't that he didn't want to see Demyx again... quite the contrary, he wanted to see him very badly, but he was still struggling with himself, with his own feelings. No matter how he looked at it, logically, he shouldn't be feeling so strongly about this bubbly blonde boy he met less than a week ago, but... he did. He tried giving himself the time to forget, or to think it over rationally, but no matter how his analytical brain went over it, he always came up with an illogical result.

Zexion had never believed in love before. Physical attraction, sure. Human beings were animals, and all animals have primal and instinctual needs to mate, and to procreate. Always an open-minded individual, he had never been prejudiced against gays, but _had_ found himself studying them. Studying them as he did all humans, trying to assess what motivated them to act, if not the primal need to reproduce. Love wasn't an acceptable answer to him before, but now... he couldn't say. Letting out a grunt of frustration, he threw his books into his bag, tossing it on the ground. He lied back, spreading his arms out and staring into the clouds. His thoughts bounced around the inside of his head, causing it to ache yet again. His solitude was interrupted by a voice, a familiar voice.

"Hey Zexy." Demyx said, leaning nervously against the door that led back down into the literature building.

Zexion sat up in surprise, his face going a little red. "Demyx? H-How..." He couldn't ask the question, being that his throat was closing up, but Demyx answered before the silence became awkward.

"I asked the librarian, and she directed me to the head lit. professor, who sent me to the roof. I thought he was just screwing with me until I got up here." Demyx wasn't making eye contact, staring off into space as the light breeze blew the loose shirt off of his skinny frame. His arms crossed behind his body as he waited for Zexion to say something, to say _anything_.

Zexion stood and walked over to Demyx, stopping a couple feet short. "I don't... or rather, I didn't, think it was possible. It doesn't make any sense." He felt Demyx's eyes on him, even as he counted the tiles below his feet. "I can't explain it with logic or reason, no matter how hard I try... the way I feel about you." He whispered the last bit, uneasy as he admitted to his failure. His ears perked at the sound of footsteps, Demyx's shoes appearing next to his own.

"Look at me Zexy." Demyx said, and lifted his chin up so that there eyes met. "Love is never logical, silly."

A lightness filled Zexion's chest as he saw Demyx leaning down toward him. He stretched up and, surprised at his own daring, wrapped his arms around Demyx's neck. Their lips touched, and all was right in his head once again. It didn't have to make sense, it didn't need to be logical, all that mattered was that the boy in his arms wanted him... loved him, and he felt the same. He smiled as their lips parted, and saw Demyx smiling back down at him. It wasn't Demyx's usual cheeky smile, but a softer and more subtle one, one that he hoped was reserved just for him.

Zexion stood up on his toes, kissing Demyx again, his pulse racing as he felt arms twist around his body to hold him. It was so comforting, so relaxing, but his heart was almost beating it's way out of his chest. Their tongues swirled around one another, his hold on Demyx tightening, kissing until he could no longer for need of air. "It's too bad we have to breathe." He chuckled at the absurdity of his words, and cheered internally when he heard Demyx giggling. He loved that sound.

"You wanna go have lunch Zexy?" Demyx asked, his tone hopeful. He didn't want to push things and scare Zexion away again, but he seemed to be over his issues, and lunch wasn't such a big deal. Zexion nodded, and blushed brightly when Demyx kissed him on the forehead.

"Sounds good. I'm really sorry for leaving you that day, but... I was so uncertain... so many things to consider, and I had no idea how..." He paused, looking away and dropping his voice below a whisper as he said "how to love". Demyx slid around so that they were standing side by side and took Zexion's hand in his, leaning down to whisper to him, his voice shifting to one with a seductive and erotic edge (or at least he hoped it did).

"It's okay Zexy, I'll show you." Demyx knew it sounded a bit silly, but he was silly so that didn't bother him. Zexion was blushing next to him, but holding onto his hand tightly all the same. He smiled his wide smile, running his free hand through his blonde spikes as they headed toward their first official date.

[A/N : Short chapter, I know, but the next one won't be]


	3. Redheads and Bottle Rockets

By : Shawnathan

[A/N : Bit of an AkuRoku chapter, but not entirely. Lemon will be around soon enough, so be patient. Correct me if you will, and review if you'd like. Danke~ ]

**[Disclaimer : I own nothing. All credit for characters goes to Disney/Square Enix]**

The morning light streaked through the blinds of Demyx's bedroom window, but was warm and serene rather than blinding, Zexion thought to himself as he opened his eyes. As the last couple weeks flew by, he and Demyx had taken turns sleeping over. _Only_ sleeping, he thought sheepishly to himself, as he had been too much of a coward to move any further with Demyx than their intense make-out sessions. It had been enough for him so far, but... he had found himself struggling with a desire that burned when they came close to crossing the line.

It wasn't as though Zexion didn't _want_ more, quite the opposite at this point; every time he and Demyx were close, the warmth in his chest burned hotter than anything he had ever experienced in his life. He simply had no inkling of how to begin, how to commence such a... foreign thing. He had never gone beyond kissing anyone before. The few girls that had given him the time of day in high school had all ended up calling him somber and depressing, saying he would be more at home dating a character from one of his books. He found himself smiling as he looked down at Demyx, shirtless and beautiful, who wore a smile even in his dreams. Demyx was _certainly_ a character, no one could say a word to the contrary.

Zexion saw Demyx's eyes open ever so slightly, the spiky blonde stretching his arms out and yawning loudly. "Good morning. Pleasant dreams, I hope?" He asked, his expression calm and content, as it usually was around his boyfriend. Boyfriend... he still hadn't become accustomed to using that word. Luckily for him, he was such a loner that there wasn't really anyone of any importance for him to introduce Demyx to. Demyx nodded, kissing at his chest before turning and springing out of bed and onto his feet in one fluid motion. Zexion stared at Demyx as he walked away, those graceful movements never ceasing to impress him.

Collapsing back down onto the multitude of pillows Demyx always had scattered about the bed, all in different shades of blue, Zexion closed his eyes again. He smiled wide as he heard Axel whining about something trivial through the wall. He had been intimidated by the redhead the first time they met, and when he had skipped out on Demyx that morning a few weeks back, but had since come to discover that he was a big softie. Not only that, but Axel was wrapped hopelessly around Roxas' little finger. He had been oblivious the first time he had seen them together, thinking that Roxas was being a good friend, helping a drunken Axel home after he'd had a few too many.

It didn't take Zexion long to see the signs once he and Demyx were officially a couple. They spent more time at the apartment than they did at his dorm, being that there was more space, and typically a little more privacy. It had only taken thirty seconds of loud thumping noises while he was helping Demyx write a paper for him to piece that one together. Demyx had simply shrugged and said "I was sort of being literal when I said they were attached at the hip." He wasn't sure if his dorm-mate had figured out that he and Demyx were dating, but he wasn't prepared to have him walking in on the two of them fooling around, so he dealt with Axel's nonsensical behavior and Roxas' moaning as best he could, and enjoyed the privacy he and Demyx were granted in return. An acceptable arrangement for all parties involved.

Axel shook with silent laughter as he peered through the crack in Demyx's door, gesturing to Roxas to come have a look. Roxas put on a serious face, stamping over to Axel and pulling him away by the ear, like one would a delinquent child. Axel fit that description well enough. Roxas led him into the kitchen before finally releasing his hold, Axel holding it and wincing, but still somehow able to laugh, as always.

"Can't you just leave them be? They don't bother us when we're..." Roxas cut his own sentence off, not wanting to encourage Axel. Far from being dissuaded, Axel took a step toward him, his unbuttoned shirt flowing out around him as he descended on Roxas. Stopping just short, Axel slammed an arm against the fridge, Roxas' eyes working very hard to not be distracted by his exposed V-lines.

"I was just having a laugh Roxy. They were getting pretty intense in there, it was making me kinda horny... good thing you showed up, convenient timing." He leaned down, closing the distance a little more as he whispered to a now-shuddering Roxas. "You can't tell me aren't at least a _little_ turned on." God damn you, Axel. Fucking asshole. I hate you. You're such a cocky, arrogant, egotistical...

"Don't call me Roxy." Was all Roxas managed to get out, silencing his mental tirade as he nearly dove into Axel's arms, kissing him deeply. It was hard to stay mad at Axel when he was being all smolder and shit. Roxas felt himself being picked up, something he hadn't consented to until a year into their relationship; he hated feeling inferior and weak, but despite that he enjoyed being held by Axel. He felt his legs wrapping around Axel possessively as his cheeks began to flush, their kisses becoming more erotic as Axel carried him through the house.

Axel carried Roxas to his bedroom, breaking their kiss to toss him roughly to the bed. Before Roxas could voice a complaint Axel was on him again, his shirt discarded at some point. His hands slid up Roxas' sides, one making it's way up his shirt, causing Roxas to blush deeper and moan into his mouth. He pulled away for a brief moment, taking pleasure in the sight before him; the half-lidded eyes, the shirt pulled up to reveal a pale, smooth stomach... the hunger in those cloudy eyes spoke to him, and he resumed his attack.

Roxas didn't know why he let Axel do this to him. Well, that wasn't entirely accurate, but he refused to acknowledge it any further. He had always suffered a weakness for redheads, one that often led him into questionable and, more often than not, _regrettable_, hook-ups. He had met Axel in a similar set of circumstances, but the outcome had been drastically different from every other casual fling. Axel had approached him and hit on him, a bit excitable but also charming in a way that only Axel could be. They had ended up in this very apartment later that night, and made out on this very bed, but when the time came for things to get seriously physical, Axel had backed off. He remembered Axel's words so vividly he could repeat them like lines from his favorite novels and poems, or lyrics from his favorite songs.

"_**I don't want to go there, Roxas. Well, I do... but not now, not so soon. I don't just want to sleep with you and lose your number. I don't want this to be a one night stand. I want to have you all to myself... every part of you."**_

It had seemed a little cliché at the time; he had even sighed and rolled his eyes, but everything changed when Axel turned around and their eyes met. Axel was better with his expressions and his actions than he was with words. Those bright green eyes had said all that needed to be said. Axel wanted him for more than just his body. He wanted that too, and would soon become rather overzealous about the whole thing, but that was beside the point. Those eyes showed him what true passion looked like, and Axel's passion burned hotter than the surface of the sun.

Axel noticed that Roxas' mind was wandering, and pulled his lips away. They were both breathing sporadically, in unmeasured bursts. Axel started trailing kisses down Roxas' neck, speaking in the low, burning tone he saved for just these occasions. "Whatcha thinkin' about Roxy? If you're getting all distracted, I must not be doing this right."

"Y-You're do-ow!-doing fine..." Roxas managed to choke out. He felt Axel kiss his forehead, and reached up to cradle his face in both hands. "I was thinking about the first night we spent together. Do you remember that? You wouldn't cross the proverbial line, so we just cuddled and talked until we passed out." Axel rolled his eyes, but when he looked down again, Roxas could see the fire in them.

Axel raised his own hands to hold Roxas', pulling one down to rest on his bare chest, over his heart. "Of course I remember. My heart was beating like a hummingbird's, I was so nervous." He silenced himself, a rare occasion for him, and let Roxas listen to his heart. "You're the only one who makes me crazy like this, makes my heart blast like a machine gun, my pulse jump... I was a coward that night, but the result was well worth it. I got to keep you." Roxas smiled up at him, kissing him softly.

"I get the feeling that you're going to burn us both alive if you keep being so... lustful." Roxas said with a giggle, sitting up and throwing his own shirt to the side.

Axel smirked, moving behind Roxas and wrapping both arms around him protectively. "You're god damn right I will. I'll burn us both to cinders before I let you go Roxy." He let his hands fall to Roxas' hips as they kissed again, more aggressive than before.

"Don't call me Roxy, asshole." Roxas said with a brief smile, his body twisting around Axel's as they fell backward together.

After an exhausting series of meetings, Zexion was released, letting out a sigh of relief as he made his way across campus to a small coffee stand. Latte in hand, he sat on the nearest bench to wait for Demyx. It hadn't been as long as before, but he found himself missing that perpetually happy simpleton more with each passing second. Just as he finished that thought, a pair of wiry arms wrapped loosely around his shoulders, an excited voice saying "Whassup Professor Zexy?" Zexion smiled, chuckling as he stood to greet Demyx.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I'm not a professor yet. I've very nearly finished the master's curriculum though, so I'm well on my way. How was practice?" Zexion had never felt so comfortable with anyone. Every time he spoke with Demyx, they fell into a natural rhythm, a rapport of sorts.

"It was good, until Axel yelled 'pyrotechnics' and threw a handful of lit bottle rockets into the room while Luxord was recording bass tracks. Things sort of fell apart after that, but we got a lot done, so it's all good." Demyx told the tale as though antics like these were a regular occurrence. Zexion facepalmed, immediately resolving to be more vigilant around Axel; he hated being pranked.

Finishing the last of his coffee, Zexion took Demyx's hand in his, and they began the familiar walk to the apartment. They passed Roxas along the way, who was on his way to the culinary branch of the school. "Hey there, Rox. Is Axel alright?" Demyx asked, a touch of concern in his voice. Zexion wondered why it was Axel they were worried about, and not this 'Luxord' fellow.

"He's fine, Luxord didn't break any of his bones, but his back's pretty banged up. The bruises are going to be something else." Roxas said, trying to produce a laugh, his eyes showing how he truly felt.

Zexion's eyes widened as he took that in. "Fuck, what happened?" He probably should have handled it with a bit more tact, but he _had_ to ask after hearing something like that.

Roxas sighed, his head drooping. "Luxord took a bottle rocket to the side of the head, so he hit Axel with a chair." He raised his head just enough to see Zexion's jaw drop. "He said he only hit him in the back because they have a show coming up, and Axel needed his arms to play guitar... I swear, you guys..." He sounded drained, his own words barely registering in his head.

Demyx held his hands up defensively. "Hey, I tried to stop it from happening that way, but there was only so much I could do. I wasn't about to dive in front of the chair."

Roxas nodded, sighing again and fiddling with the strap on his bag. "Well, I have a class to get to. Tell Axel I said he's an ass, but I hope he's alright."

"Sure thing Rox." Demyx promised, and gave Zexion's hand a light squeeze as they resumed their journey.

Zexion was still trying to digest all that information when they got back to the apartment, which was, to his surprise, still very clean. Well, as clean as it usually was. "I thought there was a fight, and... bottle rockets?" He said, still baffled.

"Oh, that was at the practice space Zexy, don't worry." Demyx said, as though that glossed everything over.

Zexion tried to put it out of his mind, but couldn't stop himself from saying something. "I'll try to not worry too much about stuff like this, but... promise me you won't get hit with a chair?" It sounded kind of ridiculous, now that he'd said it, but Demyx giggled and gave him a tight hug as they laid down together.

"I promise, Zexy." Demyx said, kissing Zexion's cheek.

Zexion held Demyx tightly, their kisses gentle as they rolled about playfully. "Hey Demyx?" He waited for Demyx to give him a quick "hm?" between kisses before saying "I love you." It seemed like an odd time to say it, but then again, why not say it when you felt it?

"I love you too, Zexy." Demyx whispered back.


	4. Vacation

By : Shawnathan

[A/N : Any and all reviews are appreciated, if you so wish to write one. Xiexie~ ]

**[Disclaimer : I own nothing. All credit to Disney/Square Enix]**

After several weeks of stressful arguments, Zexion was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Axel's revenge prank feud with Luxord had mercifully ended. There wasn't really another choice, because if it had continued, there would have been a serious fight. Demyx had even told him that the band was in jeopardy, with things the way they were. It was due to Roxas' efforts that Axel finally quit pulling stupid stunts, not the least of which being to nail Luxord's bed to the apartment roof. Axel had apologized, helped get the bed off the roof, and practices had resumed as normally.

Zexion had attended a couple more gigs after the dispute was put behind them, and it was as though it had never happened. Demyx had come over to his dorm, which was thankfully empty save for himself, after their latest performance. He was greeted with a tight embrace, calloused fingertips running through his hair as he was kissed. "I take it the show went well?" Demyx nodded excitedly, his spiky hair flying all over the place.

"It was awesome Zexy! We were really on tonight!" Demyx relaxed his hold, plopping down on Zexion's bed so that Zexion could return to his work. "It's too bad you couldn't have been there to see us..." His eyes drooped a little, but he knew better than to pout because of something petty like that. He knew that Zexion took studying very seriously, and had to commit a great deal of time and energy to it. His Zexy had recently become the personal assistant to the head of the literature department, and almost completed the courses necessary to be called a professor, all before the end of the school year.

Zexion heard the bite of sadness in Demyx's words, saw the shoulder blades jutting out of that beautiful back as Demyx stared at the floor. "You know I would have come if I could have... it _has_ been a while since I've seen you play a show, but... I have a lot of work to get done, and very little time to complete it." He saved what he was working on and closed his laptop, walking over to sit next to Demyx on the bed. Reaching for Demyx's hand, he leaned up against him, head resting on one of those slender shoulders. "There's a break coming up soon, you know... and I had a plan of sorts. I didn't want to say anything until now, because I wasn't sure if I would be able to make good on any promises, and didn't want to get your hopes up." Demyx gave his hand a little squeeze, signaling him to continue. "Well, you once told me that you loved the ocean, the first day you approached me, remember?"

Demyx nodded, his voice soft when he answered. "Of course. The library... I was really nervous that day you know." Zexion stifled a laugh. "Don't laugh! It's _so_ not funny Zexy, I was so nervous I almost cried!"

Zexion kissed playfully at Demyx's collarbone between whispers, glad to have this moment with Demyx. "You didn't seem nervous to me. You seemed like you had the whole situation under control, until you hugged me." Demyx blushed when he was reminded of that little lapse in judgment. "I know what that was about now, but at the time, it really threw me off."

"I didn't mean to... I hadn't planned on doing that, but I was so happy when you said you'd come see us play, I got a little overexcited." Demyx thought back to the moment of awkwardness they shared after the hug, smiling. "I'm a very emotional person, you know that."

Zexion nodded. "I do now, yes. Anyway, allow me to digress; our break is fast approaching, and I have an idea that you might like. You love the beach. My family owns beachfront property about an hour or two from campus... would you... l-like to go on a vacation with me, just the two of us?" Now he was feeling nervous. There were many things in the world of dating and relationships that he had never done, and this was one of them.

Demyx's eyes flew open, his jaw dropping. He put his hands on Zexion's shoulders, his face lighting up with happiness. "Are you serious Zexy?!" Zexion had barely nodded and given him a shy "yes" before he was tackle-hugged, bouncing as Demyx clung to him tightly. "Of course I want to! This is gonna be awesome!" He slid both hands up to Zexion's face, kissing him deeply.

Zexion felt his strength, and will to resist (reserved specifically for the dorm room), fading as Demyx's lips and tongue slid across his own. A hand began to slide up his shirt, but he didn't care. His mind went fuzzy, his heart all fluttery, every time Demyx would do this to him. It had never been like this before, not with anyone else. That was how he had chosen to justify this as love; no one had ever made him feel this way in his life, made him go so crazy that he would lose self-control and abandon his inhibitions like this. He kissed back aggressively, Demyx moaning in response, making the purring noise he had become so fond of. His shirt was being peeled off and thrown to the floor, Demyx's joining it, and then... the door opened. Immediately embarrassed, Zexion pulled the sheets up to hide himself, Demyx simply staring at the young buy in the doorway, eyes wide in surprise. "Um... hi Sora. How was biology?" He facepalmed inside his mind, cursing his vocal chords for reacting in such an absurd way.

Sora gulped audibly, turning his back to them and closing the door slowly. When he turned, he saw that Zexion had taken the opportunity to put his shirt back on, the other boy sitting calmly on the bed as if meditating, leaned up against him. "I... I'm sorry to interrupt. I didn't know.. Zexion usually doesn't have company, I..." He was struggling to get over the awkwardness, sitting down on his own bed across from them, absentmindedly kicking his shoes off. He directed his attention to the skinny (still shirtless) boy with the crazy hair. "Are... are you Zexion's boyfriend?" He knew he should mind his own business, but couldn't stop himself from asking. The boy turned to look at him, a soothing feeling in his teal eyes, and spoke in a low, respectful tone.

"Yes. We've been dating for a little over six weeks now... sorry for lying to you, but Zexy wasn't ready to be 'out' yet, you know?" Demyx said, his hand reaching back to hold Zexion's, a slight blush filling both their cheeks. Demyx quietly cursed the fact that their intimate moments were always being interrupted when things were getting passionate. This vacation would really do them both some good.

Zexion held Demyx's hand tightly for support as he spoke, his voice quiet and shy. "I'm sorry to have deceived you Sora, but I just didn't know how to start that conversation. This is an all-new thing to me. I understand if... if living with me, now that you know... bothers you." Being so emotional was out of character for him, but that was part of why he loved Demyx; he was finally able to be expressive, something he had always failed miserably at.

Sora shook his head furiously before looking right at both of them, somewhat irritated. "Of course it doesn't bother me, why should it? I understand about... being nervous about telling me, that's completely normal, but... don't worry, I'm totally okay with it!" They were each looking at him with surprised expressions, clearly shocked by his little outburst. He shrunk back a bit, clearing his throat and lowering his voice. "What I mean is, it's okay as long as you're happy. I don't care about that stuff." He lowered his gaze, blushing a little as he looked out the window. "A-Are you... happy?"

Zexion smiled, wrapping his arms around Demyx's waist, leaning into him affectionately. "Yes, Sora, I really am. Thank you for being so understanding, it means a lot to me, and I'm sure to Demyx as well. Oh, you still haven't been introduced, have you? Sora, this is my... boyfriend.. Demyx. Demyx, this is my roommate Sora." Sora reached a hand forward, which Demyx gladly shook.

"It's nice to meet you, Sora. Zexy has always spoken kindly of you." Demyx said, smiling his bright smile. Sora seemed to be genuinely happy for them, and Zexion was breathing easy, no longer nervous or scared.

Zexion was overwhelmed with happiness and pride, but also a bit underwhelmed. He had expected the stereotypical negative reaction humans have to homosexuality, and Sora had given them nothing but encouragement and kind words. For once, he was happy to have been proven wrong. He was out, at least to a small group of people, and it was okay. The only changes in his life as a result were for the better. He and Demyx slept in each others arms that night, Sora snoring away peacefully in his own bed.

The break had come faster than Zexion had realized, but that wasn't a bad thing; he was ready to get away from his duties as an assistant, and have some _real_ alone time with Demyx. The notion still frightened him, but there was a need deep in his heart to take things that one step further. He and Demyx both had licenses, but neither had cars, so Zexion rented one for them. It was nothing fancy, just a spacious little hatchback, but it suited their needs perfectly. Demyx even had room to fit his sitar in the back with their luggage and food, insisting that he couldn't leave 'Arpeggio' behind. Zexion had laughed at the fact that he'd named his instrument, but also stated that he knew it to be a common phenomenon among musicians. They made good time, arriving while the sun was still high.

Demyx had unpacked everything in such a hurry, Zexion had barely been able to help him carry two or three bags in. "Jeez, Dem..." He said, scratching the back of his head. "You really do love the ocean don't you? This is hyper even for _you_." He smiled as Demyx spun around to face him, having been staring out the floor-length windows that faced the water.

Demyx stretched his arms, cracking his neck as he replied. "Yeah, I really do Zexy, it's one of my favorite places in the world to be. I would move the band out to a beach town if we could get a permanent gig there. Who would say no?" He placed his hands on his hips, his body tilting to one side. "So what do you want to do?" Zexion hadn't known where to begin, being that he didn't come here all that often. After a brief discussion, they had decided on a nice dinner out by the water. Zexion drove, still finding amusement in Demyx's hyper behavior as they pulled into an upscale local restaurant.

Demyx threw up an eyebrow, looking Zexion and himself over. "Not that I would normally care, but aren't we a little under-dressed for a place like this? Also, even splitting the bill, this joint looks expensive. I'm a college student _and_ a musician... you do the math." Zexion simply grinned, opening his door and getting out of the car. Demyx watched as Zexion walked all the way around, politely opening his door for him, and offering him a hand. He blushed, taking the offered hand and getting out of the car. "Wow... proper gentleman tonight. That doesn't change the money issue though, Zexy."

Zexion had taken everything into account before they left. His parents, though strict, were not opposed to rewarding him when he met their obscenely high expectations. He would soon be a professor in his chosen field, so they had asked him if he wanted anything. He had asked for the beach house for a week, and a decent sum of money to play around with while there. They deemed it reasonable, and that was that. "Don't worry, I've got this. I think we can afford one or two extravagant things while we're here. As to being under-dressed, I seem to recall this place being fairly relaxed about that sort of thing."

Demyx nodded, a bit confused, but decided not to let the unanswered questions in his head ruin the fun. They ate fancy, talking for a good two hours over their meal and dessert, drinking a few glasses of wine along the way. After all was said and done, Zexion had gone to the front desk, talked to the valet, and made a phone call. Upon returning to the table, Demyx gave him a quizzical look. "What was all that about?"

Zexion sipped the last of what remained in his glass, placing it gently back on the table. "Well I've had three glasses, you've had six. I thought it best to get us a cab, and have the car brought back to the house." He chuckled as Demyx put on an embarrassed expression and played with his earrings, feeling the warmth build up in his chest when Demyx giggled.

Demyx nodded in agreement after a moment, his hands resting in his lap, big goofy smile ever-present. "Okay, you've got me there Zexy. I still feel bad though, you paying for everything like this." Despite being _almost_ broke, there was some truth to that. He didn't think it was fair, being a mooch.

Zexion chuckled, standing when he noticed a car pulling up out front. "I'll tell you what, you can cover the tip if you feel that bad about it." Demyx nodded and threw some cash down on the table, taking Zexion's hand as they headed out to the cab. A few customers shot them dirty looks, but he didn't care. Demyx was the only one he cared about right now. The ride back was silent, the two of them leaning into one another, hands still tightly clasped. They walked up the steps together, Zexion getting one gentle kiss on the cheek as they ascended.

There were two bathrooms, each with it's own shower, one of which Zexion had insisted on using. Demyx had laughed at how timid he was acting, but nodded all the same, dancing off toward the guest bath. He tried to let his worries wash away as he cleaned himself, the hot water splashing down on him cleansing his mind as much as his body. When he got out, he brushed his teeth with such vigor that his gums bled. Satisfied that he had done what he could, he headed for the bedroom shirtless, towel over his shoulders. He had chosen to wear black satin pajama bottoms, something he normally wouldn't bother with, but... he wanted to look good for Demyx, who was always such a vision of beauty.

He plugged his iPod into the stereo, searching for mood music. He felt strange doing that, but he had read about it, and had been pulled deeper into the world of music thanks to Demyx, whose tastes were varied and eclectic. Settling for some Envy on the Coast, he flung himself down on the bed, still as nervous as before. The shower had done nothing. Twelve seconds in to The Devil's Tongue, Demyx walked in; clad in teal boxer-briefs, hair drooping down messily in the absence of gel. It was the hottest thing Zexion had ever seen. His face went bright red, eyes hitting the floor as Demyx strode up to him. He felt thin, spider-like fingers running through his hair, his eyes appreciating Demyx's bony ankles and toes. "I'm not sure... how to proceed, but... I want to. I _really_ want to. I-I... I love you Demyx."

Demyx pulled Zexion's chin up, bending down and kissing him deeply. When he pulled away, Zexion's hazy eyes were right on his, focused despite how anxious he clearly was. "There's no formula to love Zexy, no rules or equations... no structure. Do what feels right to you." He paused to crawl forward onto the bed, his knee rubbing between Zexion's legs, conjuring up memories of their first drunken night alone together. "I don't mind, really."

Zexion was shaking as Demyx crawled over him, his hands finding their way onto Demyx's body. He explored the subtle curvature, his fingers running over shoulder blades, vertebrae, toned chest and stomach. "D-Dem..." Demyx moved closer to him with each second, grinding against him now, moaning erotically into his ear. He was straining against the satin of his pants, Demyx's bulge creating pleasurable friction as their bodies slithered against each other. "A-Ah..."

Demyx bit his lip, trying not to shout out in pleasure. He kissed Zexion yet again, licking at the tip of his nose playfully as he spoke in a low, dulcet tone. "Don't freak out, okay? I promise this'll feel good, Zexy." He reached down, sliding his underwear down to reveal himself. Zexion's eyes widened, face going scarlet. Their lips brushed together as he reached for the tie at Zexion's waist. He felt the breath catch in Zexion's throat as their bared lower regions rubbed together, various muscles clenching and relaxing. Raising a hand to his mouth, he licked his fingers sloppily, reaching the sopping fingers down and stroking the two of them together as their bodies did the rest of the work.

"Demyx... I..." Zexion moaned weakly as Demyx's hair tickled at his face. The heat was intense, the steam from their recent showers and their body heat practically roasting them. He had never felt so alive. Demyx shook and gave a weak shiver, leaking pre-cum, further lubing the two of them as they continued to grind. He was beginning to lose control, his member throbbing noticeably in Demyx's grip.

Biting gently at Zexion's neck, Demyx squeezed tighter, his hand swirling around in circles as he pressed his lips to Zexion's ear. "You can cum... no need to hold it back now..." Zexion's arms wrapped around him, hands clinging to him desperately.

Zexion wanted to answer, to use his boundless vocabulary to tell Demyx just how he felt, describe every minute burst of pleasure... but he was not able. He kissed Demyx deeply, his stomach tightening as he reached his climax. Demyx's body quivered as he began to release as well, the two of them moaning roughly as they kissed. He found Demyx's eyes, bright teal and almost glowing in the darkness of the bedroom, and stared into them. Deeply, intently, hoping that they would convey that which his words could not. Demyx smiled and kissed him on the neck, falling down next to him. They lied together in silence for what seemed like an eternity, his breath slowly returning to normal. Luckily, there had been a towel at hand, so he had taken the liberty of cleaning them up. He slid his pants back up, leaning over to kiss Demyx, whose post-orgasm glow was a zealous sight to behold. "I... I've never experienced anything so... all-consuming, so profound."

Demyx giggled, adjusting his boxer-briefs, slender legs crossing gracefully as he rested his head on Zexion's chest. "Neither have I, Zexy..." He kissed at Zexion's collarbone, smiling as his body started to grow weak. "... and that was just the beginning." He eyelids felt heavy, his focus fading as he fell unconscious.

Zexion ran his fingers through Demyx's blonde locks, wondering when they might explore the meaning behind 'just the beginning'. He would have asked, maybe teased, but Demyx was fast asleep on his chest. He decided it would be best to simply close his eyes, and let sleep take him, utterly content in his world.

[A/N: Love scenes... thoughts? Too sappy, not graphic enough for you, too soon? Let me know, so I might not repeat what you view as errors in this prolonged experiment.]


	5. Bored

By : Shawnathan

[A/N : Please review and/or feel free to throw a suggestion or two at me. спасибо~ ]

**[Disclaimer : I own nothing. All credit to Disney/Square Enix]**

Zexion's eyes slid open lazily, having slept more peacefully than he had in a long time. He thought back fondly to the physical intimacy he had shared with Demyx the night before, cracking a smile. It wasn't his milieu, being so satisfied all the time, but Demyx just did that to him. Following his nose, he found Demyx in the kitchen, cooking breakfast for the two of them. "What's this all of a sudden?"

Demyx turned, spatula in hand, wearing a ridiculous frilly apron over his underwear. "Good morning, Zexy!" He pointed to the refrigerator with the spatula, expression slightly guilty. "We brought some food, but the fridge was somehow stocked. I figured you wouldn't mind..." He turned his attention back to the pan, but continued. "...and if you like, we could eat together on the back porch. It would be a shame to waste such a nice view."

Zexion walked over to Demyx, sleepily adjusting his hair, briefly wondering about why his parents would go to the trouble of stocking the fridge. Perhaps they were just trying to make his vacation easier? He wrapped his arms around Demyx's waist, kissing at his neck. Demyx gave a surprised "hm?", but leaned into his touch all the same. "It's nothing, I just... wanted to hold you, is all." Demyx nuzzled into his neck, lips brushing against him seductively.

"Well I don't mind, but don't make me mess up the eggs!" Demyx breathed, giving the pan a quick flick of the wrist and sliding the eggs onto a plate already stacked with bacon and toast. He led Zexion around to the other side of the table, pulling off the apron and tossing over the back of a chair. "I've got the drinks. Meet you out there." He watched Zexion carry the food out carefully, smiling to himself as he rifled through his bag to find a loose-fitting David Bowie t-shirt. He grabbed the jug of orange juice from the fridge and two glasses, hips swaying to background music from the tv as he joined Zexion.

Chuckling, Zexion looked over at Demyx, appreciating the subtle beauty before making his smart-ass remark. "Scared the neighbors might see you half naked?" He was still shirtless; the ocean breeze felt nice against his skin. This was out of character for him as well, being so cavalier about partial nudity... Demyx didn't seem to mind, and laughed, taking a swig of his juice. They sat peacefully and ate, discussing plans for the day as the waves crashed on the beach, the morning sun reflecting off the water like diamonds.

**[Meanwhile...]**

Axel was sitting in the empty living room of the apartment, staring at the ceiling fan. It had been too quiet since Demyx had gone on vacation with his new main squeeze. They were going to miss out on a couple opportunities to practice, but how could he tell Demyx not to go? If it had been Roxas offering _him_ a beach vacation... He pulled out his zippo and cigarettes, clapping the pack a few times before sliding one into his mouth. He was about to light it when it was slapped away. "Roooxaaaaas..." Roxas hated that he smoked, and always gave him shit about it. That was half the reason he hadn't given it up yet.

"You know I hate that shit, Ax. If you have to smoke, then at least do it outside where I don't have to breathe it." Roxas sighed, hands on his hips, rocking back on his heels. "Look, I know you're bored, but you can still write music without Demyx around. What about your solo material?" He always tried to encourage Axel, and legitimately believed in him, usually propping Axel up during these creative slumps of his.

Flicking his lighter open and closed a view times, Axel sighed and stood up. "It comes and it goes, Roxy... I've only got half the EP written. It needs something." He hopped over the couch in one swift motion, landing right in front of Roxas, startling him a bit. He tossed his smokes to the side, his hand reaching out to cradle Roxas' face.

Roxas froze, his muscles tightening as Axel's fingers brushed across his cheek. "Don't call me Roxy... and what do you mean it needs something?" He had a feeling he knew where this was going, but... they _were_ alone, the rest of the band either studying or working. He wasn't about to stop Axel from being himself (cocky and horny), not that he could even if he tried. Axel's passion was impossible to sway. He bit his lower lip as Axel's hand slid down his chest, stomach, and stopping at his waist to slide his shirt up a little.

Axel leaned in close, his hand sliding up Roxas' stomach as he stopped just short of their lips touching. "Inspiration, Roxy. You're gonna be my muse... got it memorized?" He closed the distance, pushing Roxas back against the wall, kissing him deeply. He tugged impatiently at Roxas' shirt like he was going to rip it off him, which he was thinking of doing until Roxas stretched both arms above his head and threw it off.

"You're such a dick." Roxas said between hushed breaths, his arms making an attempt to wrap around his body, until Axel pinned them above him. Earlier on in their relationship he would have struggled, demanded that Axel let him go, until their lips met again. Now though, a part of him had come to enjoy being handled like this. Axel was forceful, but somehow never too rough.

His free hand resting gently at Roxas' waist, Axel was staring directly into Roxas' eyes. He always did that. He stared, making Roxas blush and look away from the intensity. "It's a good thing for me that you like dicks then, isn't it?" They both laughed, Roxas' bright eyes searching for his as they regained their composure. He paused for just a moment before leaning in and attacking Roxas' neck, earning him a series of carnal moans from his lover as he left two or three marks.

Roxas' breathing had become ragged, his face flushed, his body snaking forward toward Axel's. They exchanged another fiery look, Axel's forehead pressing against his. "Bedroom?"

**[Back on the beach...]**

Zexion had caved in to Demyx's request, and went for a walk with him on the beach. He had always found solace in quiet libraries or dim rooms, eyes trained on a book or a computer screen, the beach was never a place he fantasized about. Demyx however, was enamored with it, almost to the point of obsession. He watched as Demyx danced ahead of him, thin toes kicking up sand as the slender body spun around playfully, and thought that maybe he could come to like the beach after all. Demyx was wearing tight blue swim trunks and white tank top, one that must have been intended for girls, but that suited Demyx's thin shoulders well. He sped up his walking pace a little so as to catch up.

"Zexy, come here!" Demyx shouted, his hands reaching out to take Zexion's. He pulled the timid boy into a warm embrace, his spiky hair swaying in the wind. Zexion's expression was a bit shy, cheeks red; it was adorable. "I can't believe how beautiful it is here. Thank you so, _so _much for bringing me..." He gave Zexion a peck on the cheek before bending down to nuzzle into his neck. "I love you, Zexy."

Despite how calm and brave he had felt on the back porch at breakfast, Zexion was well beyond nervous now. The beach was mostly clear, but not deserted. People could see them, and some were craning their neck to look already. He tried not to let it get him, turning all of his attention to Demyx, getting lost in those aqua eyes as he responded. "I love you too, Dem. I-I... I'm really glad I met you." He suddenly looked away, his eyes tearing up, voice cracking. Why was he crying? He wasn't sad, far from it, he hadn't been this happy in his life.

Demyx noticed Zexion sniffling, and looked up to find tears on those pale cheeks he adored so much. "Aw, Zexy..." He held his boyfriend close, brushing the slate hair away to kiss the tears from Zexion's cheeks. "I didn't want to make you cry."

"It's not that..." Zexion wiped his eyes, kissing at Demyx's chin. He was still a little nervous about being out in public like this, but it was too late to worry about that now. "I've just... I've never been this happy before. Not once in my life." He kissed Demyx then, deeply, passionately, hoping that he could keep this silly blonde boy close to him forever. There was a gasp from a few meters away, but he figured there would always be at least one person to take offense. Not his concern. Not right now. When their lips parted, he felt his arms sliding down to Demyx's hips, fingers clinging to the waistband of his trunks.

Demyx was going to say something else, but the look in Zexion's eyes shut him up. They shared that quiet moment together, comfortable and safe in each others arms, waves reaching out to splash gently over their feet for what seemed like an eternity. When the time came, he took Zexion's hand in his, the two of them leaning into each other, and they walked back toward the house. Neither spoke a word, because everything important had already been said. He could hear Zexion's heart, beating so loud against his chest that it must be hurting him, but he knew why. Zexion was the most mature adult he'd ever met in his life, but there were some things beyond the scope of his genius. Physical love still frightened the young professor, whether he liked to admit it or not. Their experience the night before had only been a preview, he knew that, but tonight would be the one Zexion would never forget.

Hands shaking, Zexion walked ahead of Demyx to unlock the doors after they had sprayed all the sand off of their feet. He stepped inside, immediately heading to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of Jameson. Demyx shot him a disapproving, yet understanding, look as he entered the kitchen. "I can't help it... alcohol calms me down, slows my brain function enough for me to relax. I'm always thinking, calculating, so much that it hurts..." He stopped himself, hoping that the insight into his manic brain hadn't spoiled the moment. Far from being put off, Demyx gave him that gentle smile, striding over slowly and putting a hand over his, stopping him from popping the bottle.

"What if I told you I had a way around that?" Demyx said coolly, kissing gently at Zexion's neck. He knew he shouldn't tempt such a pure person like this, but he didn't feel bad after hearing what Zexion had to say on the subject. He had brought it up on a lunch date they had one day before Zexion's classes resumed.

**[One week earlier]**

"Demyx, what's wrong?" Zexion asked, chopsticks poking absentmindedly at what remained of his rice.

Demyx looked up, face a bit guilty. There was one thing he had been keeping from Zexion since they had started going out, because he didn't want it to change, or possibly _ruin_, their relationship. "Zexy, how do you feel about... drugs?" He waited for the shit storm, hoping Zexion wouldn't be too angry with him. Aside from the anger though, it was the emotionless face that he feared the most. Zexion looked up at him, concern in his dark eyes.

"That depends on which one, or ones, you're talking about." Zexion said flatly. He wasn't upset, and didn't want to give that impression, but how could one _not_ worry when they were asked a question like that?

"Well... weed... or, more accurately hash." Demyx said, eyes concentrating on the grain in the wood of the table.

Zexion sighed, putting his chopsticks down and taking a deep breath. "THC, or, to be precise; tetrahyrdrocannabinol, the psychoactive chemical in cannabis. It produces a feeling of euphoria, increases the heart rate briefly, but in nearly all tests and studies, provides feelings of general relaxation and pain relief. Negative effects include paranoia and lung damage, among other common hazards with the inhalation of smoke. Fairly mild as drugs go. How often do you smoke it?"

Demyx was staring blankly, surprised at the sheer amount of knowledge crammed into that pretty little head. "Well, I... sometimes before practice, maybe once a week or so. We don't smoke it though, we have a vaporizer." He still felt bad, like Zexion was judging him, but he didn't want to say anything about it.

"Well that's good. Lightens the load on your body, safest way to go about it, really." Zexion said, eyes catching Demyx's as he looked back up. "I'm not angry, you know. I honestly figured you played around with drugs here and there. Not to put stock in stereotypes, but musicians are known for that sort of thing. I was worried you might be talking about something serious, a really dangerous substance, but now I'm relieved." Demyx seemed skeptical, but he reiterated. "Really, it's okay. I don't care, it doesn't change anything between us, okay Dem?"

**[Present day]**

Zexion turned, hands resting on Demyx's lower stomach. "You brought some of it with you?" He knew what Demyx was referring to, it couldn't be anything else. Could it?

Demyx nodded, stroking Zexion's hair as he leaned into his touch. "Axel gave me some. The band usually splits the bill where that stuff goes, but Axel said I should try to have a good time with you." He looked down, hands holding Zexion's face gently. "Plus, Roxas hates it."

Zexion was really nervous about trying a new illegal substance, but these were the best possible circumstances. He couldn't ask for a more calm and relaxed environment, or a better person to share the experience with. "O-Okay... but this isn't peer pressure, I'm not weak-willed enough to fall for that. I want to do it..." He stopped, closing his eyes for a brief moment before speaking again. "Only with you, though, when we're alone. Okay?" He didn't want it to become a regular habit, so he needed to set limits now. If it were only with Demyx, when no one else was around, then he would be able to steer clear of the habitual nature these substances often encouraged.

"I know you're not weak-willed, Zexy... I would never even ask if I thought for one second I was pressuring you." Demyx said, voice smooth as silk, hoping to calm Zexion down a little. "Still want to?" He waited for Zexion to give him a weak nod, and kissed him on the cheek. "Okay, I'll be right back." He ran back to the bedroom, and rummaged through his things until he found the tiny bottle, pick, and hash pipe. He prepared everything on the table in front of Zexion, knowing that he liked to observe new things, to study them. After scraping a small amount into the pipe, he put his lighter to it, taking a deep hit. He handed the pipe to Zexion before exhaling, smoke pouring out his nose as he said. "Quick, while it's rollin'."

Zexion took the pipe, sucking in his first hit of smoke, and inhaling. It was harsh at first, but he had expected it to be. He watched as the hash bubbled away merrily, glowing as it burned. He coughed loudly as he tried to breathe out, handing the pipe back to Demyx. It hit him almost immediately, the euphoric delirium taking his worries away as his head floated. Demyx was laughing, but it seemed more natural than antagonistic, like he was laughing _with_ him. It was then that he realized _he_ was indeed laughing, raising a hand as he coughed, taking the pipe and hitting it again. His body felt heavy, but his brain felt light... it was a strange sensation, but not unpleasant. Demyx's body was slung low in his chair, one thin leg dangling over the side. Zexion passed up hitting the pipe again, leaning into Demyx and kissing at his chest. "I can't stay away anymore... sorry."

Demyx smiled, rubbing Zexion's lower back gently as they kissed. "What made you think you had to?" Demyx whispered in a powerfully seductive tone. Zexion's cheeks flashed red, and his heart was beating all kinds of fast. "Follow me." Zexion held tightly to his shirt like frightened child, so adorable he couldn't help but giggle. They stepped into the master bedroom they had shared the night before, Zexion's grip tightening briefly before finally relaxing. "I'm going to use your shower. You..." He paused, teal eyes shimmering as they locked on to Zexion's. "... join me when you've worked up the courage." He headed into the bathroom, swinging back around the door frame to add "Don't keep me waiting _too_ long, Zexy."

Zexion was sitting on the bed, head swimming in a sea of clouds. He was scared, and he knew that Demyx was playing on that by giving him such an invitation, one that he wanted very badly to accept. Swallowing what little remained of his fears, he stood and threw his shirt off, walking toward the slightly cracked door to peer inside. Demyx's body was there for him to see, slender and beautiful, though obscured by steam and glass. He closed the door behind him as he entered the bathroom, peeling off what remained of his clothes as he stepped toward the shower, tapping on the glass shyly.

"Why are you knocking? It's your family's house, silly." Demyx said, sliding the door open for Zexion and motioning for him to come in. He was glad that Zexion was a bit nervous and had taken some time before coming in. It gave him the opportunity to shave, and to clean himself properly, knowing what was to happen next. Zexion had stepped into the shower timidly, still seeming a bit reserved, but wrapped arms around him tightly as the water rained down on them. He giggled again as he looked down at Zexion. "Well aren't you just the cutest wittle pwofessor I ever saw."

Zexion blushed, but was smiling. "Shut up..." He leaned in for a kiss, heart skipping a beat when he felt Demyx pressing into his leg, already turned on. Demyx gave him an erotic look, teal eyes already blurred by desire, and began to slide a hand down his body. He gasped as Demyx touched him, hands exploring every part of him. His eyes shot open when he realized that Demyx's body, rather than just hands, was slowly but surely sinking down to his waist level. Demyx began kissing at his member, stroking him playfully, making his whole body shake. He leaned into the wall for support as his body was assaulted by hot water, steam, and the mouth and tongue of a silly blonde boy. "D-Demyx..."

Demyx licked and sucked, one hand caressing Zexion's lower back while the other stroked away steadily. He felt Zexion quivering under his hands, every touch inciting a new riot, a new torrent of sounds. When he was sure things would come to a close, he pulled away, fingers trailing up Zexion's chest as their eyes met again. "While I'm sure you were enjoying yourself..." He reached for a bottle, squirting some liquid into his hand and stroking Zexion with it, taking pleasure in the muffled moans. He hesitated, turning his back to Zexion and assuming a pose that even embarrassed him a little. "You knew there was more, right?"

Zexion gulped, but stepped forward and positioned himself. He felt Demyx nudging at his slippery lower region, blonde spikes drooping over that beautiful face, but not enough to hide the smile he loved so much. He rested a hand on Demyx's lower back, and slid himself in. Demyx moaned loudly, back arching, face pressing against the shower wall. He felt Demyx's body sliding back to meet his as he began to move, tight and hot against him like nothing he'd ever felt. His hips were moving faster of their own accord, his own voice letting out intense moans and even growls he wouldn't have thought himself capable of making.

Demyx's moans eventually weakened, his body shaking against the warm tiles of the wall as Zexion slid in and out of him, precum leaking from his member. "Z-Zexy... keep g-ah!-going..I-I'm gonna..." He felt his muscles clenching as the orgasm hit him, tingling from head to toe, spilling his seed all over the wall and floor of the shower. His breath was ragged, body shaking as he turned to find Zexion's eyes, the look on his face as sensual and erotic as he could make it as he whispered to his lover. "You c-can... do it inside..I-ah... I don't mind." Zexion caught his meaning, understanding showing on the half of his face that was visible from under the cloak of slate hair.

Zexion was already close to the edge himself, the pleasure almost too much for him to bear. Indeed, the only reason he hadn't finished yet was that he was nervous, and didn't want to be thought of as an inferior lover. "Are you sure?" His pace had slowed to a crawl as he waited for Demyx to nod in confirmation, finally releasing his load with an ecstatic shout. He shook and quivered violently as Demyx stood, his member sliding out with a small popping sound. He diverted his eyes, face red, breathing rapid and broken from the excitement and the steam.

"You aren't allowed to do that anymore." Demyx whispered, vocal chords resonating with an alluring purring noise as he wrapped his arms around Zexion.

Zexion locked eyes with Demyx, a little confused. "Do what?"

"Look away. I want you looking at me, seeing every bit of me... analyzing me with those eyes, and that genius brain of yours... professor." Demyx said, smiling, and leaned in, kissing Zexion with more passion and intensity than he ever had.

Zexion matched Demyx's enthusiasm with his own, kissing back furiously, his hands linked behind Demyx's neck. "I love you, Demyx. I love you."

Demyx's eyes squinted up as he smiled, kissing Zexion's forehead. "I love you too, Zexy. Never leave my side again."


	6. Crosswalk

By : Shawnathan

Chapter Six : Crosswalk

[A/N : Some new side stuff this time around... sort of. May lead to a new story, if I have the time and/or patience. Reviews and comments are still welcome. Grazie~ ]

**[Disclaimer : I own nothing. All credit to Disney/Square Enix]**

The vacation had been fun, and Zexion had learned what it meant to be someone's lover. It was intense, it was passionate, lustful... all these things he had never truly experienced before, this blonde boy, bouncing around excitedly to the music on the radio, had managed to show him. Demyx had forever changed his outlook on life; it was no longer about cold calculation, or the acquisition of knowledge. He had developed an appreciation for the subtle things, happiness brought on by the simplest touch or gesture. Demyx turned to him, winking an eye as if in response to his thoughts, making him chuckle. "I didn't know you could read minds too, Dem." He said, his eyes on the road as he made the turn for their exit.

"One of many talents I possess." Demyx whispered back playfully, poking Zexion's cheek with a well-manicured toe. He giggled as Zexion swerved a little, sitting up straight as they approached the apartment complex just outside of Twilight University's campus area. "I hope the band hasn't fallen apart in the few days we've been gone." He said apprehensively, knowing damn well that Axel would be up to something. Zexion grabbed a bag for him, helping to carry it inside, where it was immediately dropped, along with both of their jaws. The apartment was spotless, cleaned so well that it almost looked like a different place. Zexion checked the number on the door, thinking they couldn't be at the right door – but they were.

"Wow, they must have teamed up to get all this done." Zexion observed, kicking his shoes off and strolling about, eyes still open wide in surprise. He ran his finger along the kitchen counter, and found no dirt or dust, nothing at all. "What do you think got them in the cleaning mood?" Demyx shrugged in response carrying his things back to his room, and beginning to unpack them. Zexion had followed Demyx in, sneaking up behind him to give him a surprise hug. Demyx felt the red hit his cheeks, but shoved at his boyfriend playfully before pulling him back in by the shirt collar, stopping just short of his face.

"I didn't know you still wanted to play, Zexy, or I would have just unpacked later..." Demyx whispered, giggling at the look Zexion gave him. It seemed no matter how accustomed the slate-haired boy became to intimacy, he never got over the awkward embarrassment. Demyx didn't mind that about his timid little lover though, quite the opposite; he thought it was cute.

Zexion's face was flushed, his right hand making its way up to rest on Demyx's cheek. Demyx made the purring sound that he so adored, their lips lightly touching, tongues eventually finding the rhythm they so enjoyed. He felt his knees buckle underneath him, Demyx guiding him to the bed as their bodies began to grind together. He found a brief moment to speak when Demyx moved down to his neck, trying very hard not to moan between words, because he had just seen something he wished he hadn't; a flash of fiery red spikes in Demyx's doorway. "Dem... I..." He swallowed, concentrating his energy on getting the words out. "Demyx, I believe Axel is in the doorway." He managed to get out, his breathing ragged as Demyx looked toward the door, and then rolled off of him with a defeated sigh. He rushed to cover up the growing bulge in his pants, which was a little more difficult due to the fact that he had chosen to wear skinny jeans today. Brilliant choice Zexion.

Demyx had turned to the redhead in the doorway, who now had a huge smirk plastered on his face. "Axel, do you get off on watching other people or something?" He asked, breathing gradually returning to a normal pace. Axel just stared back with the same shit-eating grin, reaching for the cigarette tucked behind his left ear, and his beloved zippo. "If I said yes, how big of a problem would that be?" He put the cigarette in his mouth, and flicked his lighter open with a motion so fluid he must have done it a thousand times. Before he could light it, a box of Lucky Charms hit him in the side of the head, accompanied by Roxas yelling "Not in the house, Ax!" from the kitchen. Axel whined, but put the cigarette back behind his ear before turning his attention back to them. "I just thought I'd let you know Roxas and I are hanging with some old friends of his, Xion and some other girl, tonight. I figured you wouldn't want to be humping like bunnies with company in the next room." His grin slid up at the corners as he gave them a casual wave, picking up the dented box of cereal and sauntering down the hall toward the kitchen. Demyx was silent for a moment, then sighed, his head drooping in exasperation.

"Why don't we just go to my dorm for while? I think Sora has a class right now, though I can't swear to that." Zexion suggested, hoping it would be a decent alternative. Demyx thought it over for all of two seconds before nodding excitedly and gathering up some things into a bag. The concept of a 'man-purse' had never really bothered Demyx, it seemed, as he carried that bag everywhere, disregarding any shit people gave him about it. Zexion grabbed Demyx's blue hoodie, a favorite of his that was baggy on him, and threw it on, taking Demyx's hand and heading out toward the door. They paused in the hall to politely introduce themselves to Roxas' friends, who were nice enough, and rather cute.

Zexion smiled as they walked out the door, leaning into Demyx for most of the walk back to his dorm. Demyx gave his hand a genial squeeze, kissing his cheek, which got the attention of a nearby group of girls. They squealed as if it were something special; Zexion never got that, and had always chosen to ignore them, as he considered such people a nuisance. Demyx had told him to lighten up, and just consider them their 'fangirls', whatever that meant. He wasn't acquainted with the term. They ascended the steps without speaking a word, simply content to be around one another. Zexion didn't check the door, because Sora never locked it; it was a habit he had tried to scold Sora about, but it never did any good. He walked in, and was forced to turn his back to the scene he had witnessed. "Um, do you need a minute, Sora?" Zexion asked, holding Demyx at bay so as not to reveal what was going on. Unless he was mistaken, he had just found Sora wrapped in the arms of a strikingly handsome boy with shoulder length silver hair. After a lengthy pause, Sora's voice called out to them in a weak, scared tone. "I-It's okay..." Zexion took the cue, opening the door, Demyx's head craning around to see what was up.

Zexion led Demyx over to his bed, sitting together across from Sora and the silver-haired boy who held him in a very protective way. Before things could become any more awkward, he took the initiative and spoke up. "I... I didn't know you were gay, Sora. How come you didn't say anything after... w-when you saw us?" Sora shook his head, clinging tightly to the silver-haired boy's sleeve.

"Because I wasn't... I still don't really know if I'm... w-well, you know..." Sora said, still scared. Zexion sat quietly until Sora had gathered the courage to speak again, and gestured for him to continue. "I wasn't when I saw you two together... that was really shocking to me, you know? I had never even seen two boys hold hands!" Demyx laughed, causing the silver-haired boy to shoot him an evil look, but it wasn't a mean laugh; it was sympathetic, as was the expression Demyx was displaying. Sora gave the boy's arm another squeeze before continuing. "I'm still really unsure, and really _really_ nervous about everything, but... Riku makes me happy."

Demyx giggled, his smile wider than ever. "So you finally introduce us? Nice to meet you, Riku!" The silverette shot him a questioning look, but nodded back politely when Sora elbowed him in the ribs. "My name's Demyx, and this one is Sora's roomie, my boyfriend, Zexion." Zexion saw understanding dawn on Riku's face when their eyes met. Abandoning the defensive attitude, Riku gave them a very courteous "it's good to make your acquaintance" before adding "Thank you for being so kind to Sora, his happiness means a lot to me."

Zexion nodded back, cheeks reddening a little when he felt Demyx's arms sliding around his waist. "How could I not be? Sora's been nothing but nice to me since we met, and..." Gulping audibly, Zexion continued. "He walked in on us one day, a bit like this situation to be honest, but... rather than freak out, he said that he didn't care about things like that, as long as we were happy."

"That sounds like Sora." Riku mused, fingertips playing at Sora's chin, his expression almost _hungry_. Sora blushed deeply, but didn't struggle or move away. Demyx, seeing this, squeezed Zexion's sides gently, nuzzling into his neck before lowering his voice to below a whisper.

"Maybe we should leave them alone Zexy." Demyx cooed, spider-like fingers curling over Zexion's hand. Zexion seemed to agree, whipping his hair out of his face as he stood. Demyx followed, and they gave the two a polite wave.

Zexion stopped at the door, hand still tightly intertwined with Demyx's. "Well, we're going to go get a cup of coffee, feel free to meet us at the cafe two blocks down if you're so inclined. If not, then we'll see you when we see you." That was directed mostly at Sora, but he turned to the silverette, and added "take care". Riku smirked, grasping the dual meaning behind those words, Sora simply cocking his head to the side with curious eyes. Zexion smiled, leaning into Demyx again, pulling the door shut behind them. They didn't talk much when they walked. Zexion knew Demyx to be a chatterbox, but Demyx seemed to save his words for comfortable settings. Zexion didn't mind this, because the silence wasn't awkward; he could listen to Demyx's heart by cuddling up close to him, and enjoy the scent that enveloped him, wafting off of the hoodie. It was a very peaceful way to get places. After a short time, they found themselves at the crosswalk that lead to the cafe. Demyx had danced ahead of him a few paces, and wasn't paying too much attention to his surroundings, a bad habit of his. Zexion was smiling in admiration, until he saw a light approaching, and heard a horn blowing. He dove forward without a second thought, shoving Demyx out of the way hard, excruciating pain shooting through his midsection as he began to lose consciousness. The last thing he saw was Demyx rushing toward him, hands outstretched, face contorted with sadness... then he blacked out.

**[Two days later]**

Zexion awoke in a dazed state, woozy from what he assumed to be powerful painkillers. At least he wasn't in pain at the moment, that was good enough for now. The ceiling above him was unfamiliar, too clean and off-white to be his own or anyone's that he knew. His head lolled to the side, observing the IV drip in his arm, and the array of blonde spikes resting at his hip. A nurse was attending to a patient across from him, so he took the opportunity to flag her down. "E-Excuse me, ma'am... I... how long have I been here?" The nurse came over, urging him to sit back and relax, before even acknowledging his questions. "How long have I been out?" Zexion repeated, losing patience. The nurse finally caved, letting out a deep sigh before answering. "About two days, kid. Three fractured ribs, sprained wrist, some nasty cuts and bruising... you're lucky your injuries aren't more severe, what were you thinking?" Zexion looked away, managing to blush even in the state he was in. He gulped in some air, running a hand through Demyx's hair. "I was thinking that I had to protect something very precious to me." The nurse eyed him suspiciously, taking a moment to put it together. "Some_thing_ or some_one_?" She asked, looking over the paperwork at the end of his bed. "He's been here the whole time. He caused a scene when we told him to leave, that visiting hours were over. Security had to be called to escort him out, but he came right back as soon as he was allowed. Couldn't have gotten more than ten hours sleep over the last two days." Zexion felt his eyes lazily attempting to analyze Demyx's appearance; he was wearing the same tight v-neck and jeans, still had the bag with him, probably hadn't even showered judging by the state of him. Demyx stirred, sitting up with a loud yawn and stretching his arms high above his head. The nurse nodded to Zexion, and took the cue to leave them alone, sliding out the door silently. Demyx checked his phone and texted several times before he realized that Zexion was awake, eyes shooting open in surprise. Zexion could still see the tiredness in Demyx's eyes, but was still happy that he was there with him. "Hey Dem." He managed, voice a little weak and drowsy. Demyx immediately gave him a tight hug, his brain flashing back to the day they had first met. When Demyx pulled back, there were tears in his eyes, no trace of his trademark smile.

"Oh Zexy, I'm so sorry. I'm s-so, _so_ sorry about this, this is all m-my fault..." Demyx sputtered out between sobs, teal eyes shrouded by a constant stream of tears. "I wasn't l-looking where I was going and you.. a-and y..." He lost all control, crying into Zexion's stomach.

Zexion stroked Demyx's hair, reaching an unsteady hand down to cradle his cheek. "It's alright, Dem. I'm alright, don't worry." He said softly, trying to sound as soothing as possible. Demyx shook his head back and forth, wiping his eyes and sitting up, looking away. "We shouldn't be together anymore, Zexy. Look what happened to you because of me... because I'm such an airhead, you got hurt. You could have been killed." Zexion immediately began to protest, his brain refusing to follow this line of thinking. "It wasn't your fault, some asshole blew through a crosswalk while we had the signal to walk, I remember that much. Even if we hadn't, it wasn't your fault." Demyx was shaking his head, refusing to turn around. "Dem, look at me."

Demyx shook his head frantically, grabbing his bag and heading for the door. "I can't Zexy, or I won't be able to go through with this." He was trying to harden his resolve and walk out, hand resting on the stainless steel door handle as he argued with himself inside his head. That is, until he heard the sound of metal crashing against tiles, and the unmistakable 'thud' of a body hitting the floor. He turned in horror to see Zexion crawling toward him, IV somehow still in as he slid the long metal stand across the floor.

"You listen to me, Demyx. I jumped in front of that car because I didn't want to see you get hurt, didn't want to lose you. I understand how you feel, but it was not your fault that I got hurt, it was my choice." Zexion spat out, pain hitting him in sharp stabs. Demyx had bent down to help him back to the edge of the bed, where he now sat clutching his ribs, leaning into Demyx's welcoming embrace. "I-I knew what would happen... I knew I would get hurt, th-that I might get killed... but I did it anyway." He struggled on, resisting the urge to hit the call button. He wasn't ready to have a nurse fretting over him again just yet. "I did it because I love you, and I could not bear it... the thought that you might die, that I might lose you." Demyx finally raised a finger to Zexion's lips to silence him, swallowing the last of his tears as he fought the knot in his throat.

"That doesn't make it okay for you to get hurt in my place, and leave me here thinking you might die for two days... dummy." Demyx said, his voice still sad, but there was a shadow of his smile coming back. "I was worried sick... I m-missed classes, I couldn't sleep, and they kept trying to make me leave you." Zexion had to laugh at that one. "Yeah, the nurse said you caused a bit of a scene." Zexion was becoming woozy, and thought he might pass out, so he laid back down slowly, resting on his elbows as he tried to find a comfortable position. Demyx fixed his pillows for him, still seemingly fighting the urge to cry. Demyx was making a move to pull up his chair that had been knocked over, but Zexion stopped him by gripping his shirt tightly. Demyx turned his attention back to Zexion and allowed himself to be pulled in, their lips connecting gently at first, until the kisses became more rough and passionate.

Before Zexion knew it, Demyx was on the bed with him, looking down at his face with red cheeks, those beautiful eyes finally clear of tears. "I love you Demyx." He whispered, kissing Demyx again, the two of them grinding erotically until he let out a squeal of pain. It was then that a nurse walked in, interrupting their moment. She turned on Demyx, clearly flustered. "Not you _again_... listen, this one needs to rest and recover, and he can't do that with you on top of him. Come on, let's go. Go!" She pulled Demyx unceremoniously from the room, Zexion fighting the urge to laugh at how his boyfriend was behaving; it would only hurt if he laughed at this point, or he would have.

**[The near future, Zexion's release from the hospital]**

Zexion was sipping orange juice through a straw, feeling well-rested and relaxed as he was pushed out of the hospital in a wheelchair. It wasn't even necessary, he was perfectly capable of walking, but the others had insisted. Axel, Roxas, Sora, and Riku had all joined Demyx in picking him up. Axel was pushing him around at present, leaning down to his ear level to shout "We are _so_ having a party to celebrate you getting out!"

Zexion cringed at the idea of Axel being in charge of a party for him, voicing his thoughts somewhat tactlessly. "Axel, the last thing I want is _you_ throwing me a party." Axel looked somewhat dejected, responding with a depressed-sounding "Why you no love me, Zexy?", and gave him puppy dog eyes. Zexion sighed, rolling his eyes and spoke again, a bit under his breath this time. "I suppose it would be nice to have a _small_ get-together with you guys, and perhaps a few others. Xion and that other girl from the other night seemed nice enough. What was her name... Kairi? I'm not drinking, though... I'm still high as shit on painkillers." The walk home was pretty silly, all of Zexion's friends taking turns pushing him while the others entertained him with stories of the last few days. Apparently when Axel had heard of the accident, he had been playing with his favorite Zippo lighter, and almost lit the carpet on fire when he dropped it in surprise. Roxas had been forced to comfort a crying Axel, who thought his best friend was dead or seriously injured, which Zexion actually found rather sweet and endearing. Sora had found out from Axel and Roxas when they came by the dorm to pick up clothes for Zexion, and had dragged Riku along because he felt so bad. Zexion wasn't used to having this much care and attention focused on him, so it was making him feel somewhat smothered. That aside, it felt good to know that so many people were worried about him; that was a recent development, so he wasn't used to it.

Demyx was humming happily as he pushed Zexion into the elevator of the main dorm building, planning to retrieve some of his things so he could sleep over. The others had gone on ahead of them, planning to get some drinks, snacks, and another surprise they wouldn't talk about. Sora had eyed Axel skeptically when he'd refused to say anything more, looking to Roxas who had simply shrugged and sighed. "What all do you need me to grab, Zexy?" The blonde asked in his singsong voice, rolling Zexion out of the elevator on two wheels, giggling.

"Just my laptop and a few books. Throw them in my backpack and we should be good to go." Zexion said, pulling his boyfriend down by the shirt collar to kiss him. They were still kissing at each other playfully as Demyx rolled him down the hall toward his dorm room, until he stopped abruptly, causing Zexion to look up. When he did his eyes shot open, jaw dropping in surprise at who was standing at his dorm room's door. "F-Father?"


	7. Happy Fucking Homecoming, Asshole!

By : Shawnathan

Chapter Seven : Happy Fucking Homecoming, Asshole!

[A/N : I know this one took a bit longer than my others, but what can I say? Life's a bitch. Feel free to read, and please review if you're so inclined~]

**[Disclaimer : I own nothing. All credit to Disney/Square Enix]**

Zexion was sitting in shocked silence, staring into his father's eyes. Demyx had frozen behind him, clearly unsure of what to do. "W-what are you doing here, father? I thought you were in Radiant Garden..." Demyx blinked in confusion at that, but he couldn't turn to him just yet. His father had a commanding presence, one that required your full attention. It was made even more intimidating by the fact he was supposed to be in Radiant Garden for work.

Ansem looked down at his son, a bit put off by what he had just seen. "I was notified by my staff at the lab that you had used your medical insurance card. I looked into it, and was rather concerned upon finding out that you were hit by a car. Is my reaction not natural?" He sighed and gestured to the spiky-haired blonde boy who was still gripping the wheelchair, then back to his son. "So are you going to introduce us, or just sit there with your mouth hanging open?"

Zexion looked down at the floor, his face reddening as he gathered the courage necessary to speak his mind. "Yes, father..." He took another deep breath, taking Demyx's hand and holding it tightly for support, and fixed his gaze firmly on his father's questioning eyes. "This is Demyx, he's... he's my boyfriend, we've been dating for a few months now. Demyx, this is my father, Ansem Wise." He tried to remain calm, and strong, as his father went about absorbing that information; absorbing information was something he and his father both did very well. Ansem digested it all for several moments before speaking. "I didn't know that you were a homosexual, son... that is..." Zexion held up a hand to interrupt his father, something he rarely, if ever, did. "I didn't know either, father. Demyx is the only boy I've ever felt romantic feelings for. That being said, those feelings are much stronger than what I've felt for the girls that I've dated in my life." It was then that something unexpected happened.

Demyx had started to push the wheelchair forward slowly, only stopping when they were right next to Ansem. Strangely, he offered the ominous-looking man his hand, silly grin on his face like nothing was out of the ordinary. "It's so nice to meet you, sir, Zexy never talks about his family, so I had no idea what to expect!" His bubbly personality could affect almost anyone, even the coldest and bleakest of people. It was with this in mind that he offered his hand in kindness, hoping that things would turn out in a way that pleased everyone. Zexion was eying the both of them nervously from his seat, finally giving his father a suggestive stare. Seeing how serious his son was, Ansem took Demyx's hand and shook it, his face relaxing somewhat. Demyx flashed his brilliant smile, somehow not put off by the intensely awkward atmosphere. Either that, Zexion thought, or he was hiding it very well.

Zexion pointed to the door, gesturing to Demyx to open it, which he gladly did. "Want to see how your son lives at school, in filth and squalor?" Zexion asked, trying to lighten the mood a bit. He realized that it hadn't worked when he saw the look on his father's face, which Demyx chose to ignore as he wheeled Zexion into the dorm room and set about gathering his things for him. "Going somewhere?" Ansem asked, stroking his goatee thoughtfully as Demyx handed Zexion his bag. Zexion sighed, looking up at his father, expression pleading. He'd hoped his father would be civil about his relationship with Demyx; his parents were both very liberal people, and very accepting, so what exactly was the problem here? "Yes. My friends have decided to have a small get-together to celebrate my release from the hospital. Is that a problem?" Ansem gave Zexion a stern stare, causing him to shrink back a little. He never back-talked or gave his parents a hard time. Then again, they had never really given him a reason to.

Ansem mulled it over silently, staring blankly out the window as he pondered. After an awkward few minutes in silence, he managed a few words. "Very well, son. I suppose that isn't unheard of." His sentences were short and to the point, as always. "However, I would like to come along to this gathering, and meet the people you've come to call 'friends'. I don't want you to fall in with a bad crowd after all, or for your studies to suffer; you're on your way to a PhD, and at a very young age. I won't have you jeopardizing your future, all of your hard work, or mine."

"Y-Yes, father. That's sounds reasonable." Zexion had shrunk under the weight of those words, reaching for Demyx's hand again. He looked to his lover for support, his eyes asking his question for him; "Is this okay?" Demyx nodded, and motioned for Ansem to follow them as he wheeled Zexion out of the dorm room. Zexion gulped nervously as they walked in virtual silence, the one exception being Demyx's melodic humming. It was a beautiful sound, but did nothing to help how nervous he was feeling. When they reached the outside of the building, Ansem strolled over to a car and gave the driver instructions to wait at his hotel until further notice. Zexion didn't know if that was good or bad. His father's actions were often difficult to interpret, which was why, despite always getting along fine, they had never been truly close. There was loud music shaking the apartment building as they approached, causing Zexion to become even more worried. Axel was unpredictable enough under normal circumstances, never mind having a legitimate reason to celebrate something. He closed his eyes, praying to the God he didn't believe in that it wouldn't be too crazy inside, clutching at Demyx's hand when he was wheeled up to the door.

When the door was opened, the scene before them was truly chaotic. Zexion looked on in a mixture of terror and excitement at what was happening. There was a banner across the entire living room wall that said "HAPPY FUCKING HOMECOMING, ASSHOLE!" in massive red lettering, streamers everywhere, and at least twenty people. Zexion recognized seven. Axel was on his knees, shirtless, playing guitar while downing a beer bong as Sora and Roxas watched in awe, and others cheered. Xion was doing a shot of some unnamed liquor out of Kairi's belly button, while Luxord was chatting up some suspiciously young looking girls, and Riku brooded in the corner silently with his eyes locked on Sora. All of this, however, paled in comparison to what was happening in the center hallway. There was a man with long pink hair, or at least Zexion assumed it was his real hair, wearing a long black coat and gloves, playing a piano (how the hell did they get a piano in here?)... that was on fire. No one seemed to mind at all, or were too intoxicated to care. The smell of hash hung in the air, and there was a group of students on the couch taking hits from a hookah.

Zexion gulped again, face-palming as he motioned for Demyx to close the door before their presence was noticed, but it was too late. Axel was walking toward them, arms outstretched in an inviting way, crooked grin fixed on his face. "What do you think, Zexy? I called in every favor I could to make this a real thrasher. Why don't you join us, and we'll do this properly?" Axel paused, craning his neck to the side as he eyed Ansem, who was clearly not amused. "Who's the old dude?" Zexion could almost feel his father's disappointment, unable to turn around and face it. Instead, he looked daggers at Axel, his voice gravelly as he answered. "Axel, this is my father, Ansem Wise. Father, this is Demyx's roommate, guitar player, and vocalist, Axel." Despite the serious nature of the atmosphere, Zexion could feel Demyx fighting the urge to laugh. To be fair, what else could he do in this situation?

Ansem nodded curtly to Axel, who withdrew the hand he had extended, before speaking. "Son, I need to have a word with you." He said it more as a command, by the tone of his voice. Zexion's voice cracked as he spoke, trying to somehow explain the madness they had just seen. "Father, it isn't what it looks-" Ansem held up a hand to silence him, cutting him off. "Now, Zexion." Zexion nodded, motioning for Demyx to follow his father, leaving a confused Axel standing in his doorway.

They made it a good distance away from the chaos of the apartment before Zexion decided to speak up. "It wasn't supposed to be like that father, that was all Axel... you heard him, he tried to make it 'a thrasher' on purpose, against my wishes. I told him I didn't want that sort of thing." Demyx looked very scared, Zexion had noticed, and there was good reason for it. Ansem turned to them both, his face and tone of voice showing zero emotion. "You're transferring schools as soon as this semester ends. This is not a good environment for you to be in, clearly. I will make the necessary arrangements for your transfer to Radiant Garden University." Zexion's eyes shot open in shock, his heart snapping in two as his father laid down decrees. Demyx was silent, but the heartbreak was visible in his eyes. Ansem turned to leave them both as though business were concluded, but Zexion refused to let things end there, anger rising inside him as he pushed himself out of the wheelchair. "Father, stop!"

Zexion was clutching his side, pain shooting through him like hot knives. He ground his teeth together, bearing with it as he prepared a verbal counter. "I don't care if you don't like the environment, and I don't care if you don't like my friends. I didn't ask for that party in there, but you know what? I don't mind it either. I need a little crazy in my life!" He felt Demyx rush forward to catch him before he fell to the ground, the blonde boy holding him up as best he could. "I was so out of it before... not even depressed, I just... I didn't feel anything, about anyone. Well I'm done living life that way. I've met a beautiful musician who loves me, and logical reasoning be damned, I love him too." Demyx blushed and smiled at that. "His friends and his band are all nuts, but they give me something I've never had before. Happiness, father." Ansem was staring back coldly, taking it all in, reserving his opinions as he always did, until the argument was made in full. Zexion continued. "I've done everything you ever asked of me; I even completed my classes in record time this year, faster than anyone thought possible. I'll likely have a PhD within the next year or two. If you make me transfer schools, I will drop out of literature altogether, and never touch a book again. _I swear it_." Venom dripped from every word, Zexion's voice more deadly serious than he had ever heard it. Cringing in pain, he slid to the ground, Demyx holding onto him tightly.

Ansem stood tall, locking his hands behind his back as he contemplated it all. There were several minutes of silence where no one dared speak a word, the world dead quiet save for the wind. Zexion never broke eye contact with Ansem, staring him down as intently as he could manage while in the pain he was in. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Ansem cleared his throat. "I do not agree with your decision, son, but I do acknowledge your resolve, and your dedication. If you can continue to prove yourself to me academically, then I will allow you to stay." Zexion let out a sigh of relief, but his father held up a warning hand to regain his attention. "However, should your grades suffer as a result of all this nonsense..." Ansem gestured to the apartment, where the loud music still raged on. "Then I _will_ force you to transfer, and oversee your education myself. Is that understood?" Zexion nodded, not even thinking to question this. It was unlike his father to respond positively in such a situation, so he wasn't about to argue. Ansem's gaze shifted to Demyx, his voice softening somewhat. "I would like _you_ to know that I do not disapprove of your relationship with my son. My only concern lies with his studying, and his future. So long as you don't impede that, and treat my son fairly, there will be no quarrels between us..."

Without another word, Ansem turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Zexion and Demyx together on the ground. When his father was out of sight, Zexion struggled to his feet again, wincing as the pain hit him again. Somehow, it wasn't as bad this time around. Demyx still looked worried, so Zexion leaned in and offered him a kiss, which Demyx gladly accepted. For a moment, that kiss was the only thing in the world that mattered to either of them. When their lips finally parted, each of them blushing, it was Demyx who spoke up first. "You were so brave, Zexy... and I love you too, by the way. I wanted to say it before, but I didn't want to interrupt you while you were being so... _hot_." Zexion cocked an eyebrow, chuckling as they began the walk back to the apartment. "It's good to know that you find my rebellious streak hot. What do you say we go enjoy my party?" Demyx nodded, and they made their way back up to the source of the music, practically kicking the door down. Things hadn't calmed down at all, but Axel did give them a sympathetic look as they entered the apartment, sans-wheelchair.

The party seemed to freeze for a moment when everyone caught sight of them, unsure what it meant that they were back without the old man in tow. To answer their collective question, Zexion grabbed a nearby shot glass from the end table, downed it, and smashed it on the floor. Demyx jumped a little, but didn't have time to react properly, as Zexion's lips and tongue were suddenly one with his own. Everyone cheered, and the chaos resumed. Zexion limped over to Axel, punching him in the shoulder, but accepted a beer from him all the same. "You know, I _was_ mad, but I think the appropriate words right now are... thank you, Axel. Best. Party. Ever." Axel's face lit up with excitement, his shit-eating grin spreading across his face like wildfire as he gave Zexion a big hug. "Glad you like it, little man." After a round of congratulatory shots, the debauchery continued until everyone was either too wasted or too tired to continue. An attempt at dirty dancing with Demyx had caused pain to shoot up from his ribs, so Zexion had given up and retreated to the couch, Demyx laying with him, kissing at his neck and chest while the party wound down.

When all the other guests had cleared out, Zexion noticed Sora and Riku approaching the couch, hands clasped, leaning into each other. After having a few to drink, Sora had overcome his embarrassment and danced with Riku. Demyx wasn't paying them any attention, too preoccupied with Zexion's collarbone to notice anyone or any_thing_ else. Riku stood silently, his face content as Sora pressed against him, finally speaking up. "I'm glad that you weren't hurt too bad Zexion. You really had me worried, but... you seem okay now, and I had someone there to comfort me through it all." Zexion rolled his eyes, but put on a knowing smile as he ran his fingers through Demyx's spikes, responding in a tone that he hoped expressed his gratitude. Sora had always been a good roommate, and a nice boy. "Yeah, it really helps having one of those around, doesn't it?" Demyx finally looked up with a goofy smile on his face, sticking his tongue out, causing a round of laughter and giggles. Zexion briefly considered that he had never heard a cuter sound than Sora and Demyx giggling at the same time, and resolved to have a double date at some point in the near future. The spiky-haired brunette left with his new boyfriend, finally leaving Zexion and Demyx alone on the couch, save for Axel and Roxas; they were running about, trying to clean up the mess before they passed out. Zexion chuckled, turning to Axel after kissing Demyx's cheek. "You reap what you sow, red. I suppose I can't say anything though, this was an insane party. It will be talked about for years. I don't even like parties, and I had a great time." Axel smiled, tossing a random slipper at them as he continued cleaning.

The next morning, Zexion found himself stretched out in an odd position, Demyx sprawled on top of him in an even weirder one. His left arm was numb from the way Demyx was laying on it, still snoozing peacefully. Well, that just wouldn't do. He craned his head down and began kissing Demyx, gently at first, then more aggressively. At some point during the assault, Demyx was roused form his slumber and began kissing back. "Good morning, sunshine." Zexion whispered as their lips parted. Demyx smiled, kissing at his chin. "Morning, Zexy. My head hurts." Zexion chuckled, kissing the sandy blonde spikes. "I would go get you some medicine from the cabinet in the bathroom, but there seems to be a body on top of me. My left arm is completely numb, by the way." Demyx grinned sheepishly, rolling off the couch onto the floor, his movements lacking the usual grace he exuded. Zexion chuckled at that, flexing his newly freed arm, trying to get the feeling back. The feeling of needles hit him, but he new that was simply feeling returning to the dead limb. He stood, calling to Demyx as he began gathering up his things, which had somehow gotten strewn about during the previous night's chaos. "I think I'm going to head back to my dorm and study for a bit, read some, calm my head down. You can come by later if you'd like, okay Dem?" He heard a muffled "okay" from the bathroom, and saw a hand sticking out of the door giving him a thumbs up. Satisfied, Zexion walked out, stepping over a sleeping Luxord to get out the door. He chuckled as he paused in the doorway, thinking back on the sheer ridiculousness of the party, before finally heading out the door in the direction of his dorm.

**[That night]**

Zexion had almost walked in on Sora and Riku again that morning, but had the presence of mind to knock before entering his own dorm room. It sounded like they had to have been fooling around, certainly more than just kissing, by the sheer amount of rummaging around and shuffling noises before Zexion was given the O.K. to come in. He chose to ignore it completely, studying with headphones on (a habit that he had gotten from Demyx) for several hours, perusing the usual sites on his laptop, and finally burying himself in a book until he somehow passed out again. "Zex..." "..ion..." "Zexi..n" "ZEXY!"

Zexion sat bolt upright, almost headbutting Demyx, who had been trying to wake him. "Was it really necessary to yell, Dem?" He asked, picking at his ear theatrically. Demyx simply smiled back at him, wrapping his thin arms around Zexion in a tight embrace. "I'm sorry Zexy, but you were really out! You must have been pooped after last night, huh?" Zexion nodded, stretching a little and yawning as Demyx curled up into a ball, rubbing against him. "You're right, of course. It wasn't just the party though, it was my father. I never expected him to back down like that, being that he's usually so... in control." Zexion shook his head to rid it of the image of Ansem's face. He found a smile was creeping across his face as Demyx practically crawled up his body, thin fingers tracing patterns on his chest.

Demyx cradled his slate-haired boyfriend's face between his hands, teal eyes shining with freshly forming tears. Zexion seemed alarmed, clearly about to ask what was wrong, but Demyx put a finger to his lips to silence him. "Nothing's wrong, Zexy; I'm happy." Zexion raised an eyebrow in confusion, so Demyx continued. "No matter how weird that was for you, and how controlling your dad might be, there was a silver lining. He approves of me, Zexy... he approves of _us_." Zexion's confused expression slowly became one of comprehension, and understanding. He leaned in to kiss Demyx's cheek lovingly, lips brushing against his ear as he whispered to his lover. "That's what you were worried about?" He continued kissing, being more aggressive than ever; Demyx was usually the one guiding these situations along, due to his embarrassment, but not tonight. Wiping the tears from Demyx's eyes, Zexion slid a hand up his shirt, earning him a taste of that purring sound he loved so much. "If he had refused to accept that you were now a part of my life, then he would have to accept that I would no longer be a part of his. I love you, Demyx... I fucking love the shit out of you." Demyx rested his hands gently on Zexion's chest to pause his advances, only for a moment, giggling at how that sounded. "You shouldn't curse, it doesn't suit you, but... I fucking love the shit out of you too, Zexy. Now please continue eating my face." Zexion laughed, and happily obliged the blonde space-case, their tongues dancing around each other as his hands explored.

One hand grazed Demyx's chest, while the other rubbed affectionately at his neck. That time in the hospital and all the pain medication Zexion had been on had really left him feeling Demyx-deprived. He ceased his advances for a moment to nip at Demyx's neck, being sure to leave multiple love bites. Demyx let out a sigh of pleasure, the pain not seeming to bother him, his eyes connecting with Zexion's. "I don't know what's gotten into you... but don't stop now." Zexion pulled at Demyx's shirt until it was off, throwing it across the room and resuming his attack, his lips kissing over the loves bites he was making down Demyx's chest. "Wouldn't dream of it." Zexion whispered as his lips began placing little kisses along Demyx's waist, his hands pulling at the dark blue gym shorts that were still in his way. Demyx happily kicked them off, giggling at how Zexion was forced to duck, lest he be kicked in the head. "Sorry about that, Ze- ah!" Rather than wait, Zexion had slipped a hand into Demyx's underwear, and was sliding a hand along his lover's hardening member. "This is okay, right Demyx?" Zexion asked, still unsure of himself. Demyx simply nodded, biting at his lower lip as he guided Zexion's hand along his lower region, hardly able to contain his own excitement. Zexion kissed Demyx once more, powerfully, before moving down to join his hand.

Demyx cried out in pleasure, biting at his finger in an attempt to silence himself. His back arched wildly, his free hand grabbing a handful of Zexion's hair, guiding him. Zexion wasn't very experienced, but he was somehow _very_ good with his tongue. Demyx let out a loud moan as Zexion did something particularly nice, hands still touching any part of him they could reach. Before long, it became too much; Demyx felt the pleasure blast through his system, body shaking, and released into Zexion's waiting mouth. Far from being disgusted, Zexion happily swallowed, not removing his lips until Demyx was reduced to a trembling mess. When he could move again, Demyx sat up, forehead pressing against his shy lover's. "Zuh...Ze-Zexy... how did you..? That was really, _really_ good..." Zexion blushed, scratching at the back of his head sheepishly when he responded. "Well it wasn't that difficult, really. I just thought of what you had done for me... I figured I might know what feels good. I'm glad... I wasn't sure if I'd be any good at... w-well, that." Demyx kissed Zexion deeply, tasting a bit of himself on Zexion's tongue. When the kiss broke, he wrapped his arms around Zexion, whispering in his ear erotically. "Don't stop now..."

Blushing a deep red, Zexion found himself feeling nervous again when Demyx rolled over, looking back at him with the "take me" face. He crawled forward, trailing kisses up the back of Demyx's smooth legs, Demyx purring in response. "Hmm.. Zexy..." Zexion licked at two of his fingers sloppily, his free hand already massaging Demyx's hole. Losing any regard for his own shame or embarrassment, Zexion leaned in to lick at Demyx's hole, generating a surprised, but giddy, moan. He lapped away, sliding his tongue around almost playfully as Demyx wriggled underneath him, grinding into the bed. As he backed away, Zexion slid two fingers in slowly; Demyx had to bite into a pillow to stop himself from shouting out a cry of pleasure, muffled moans ripping through him like explosions. Zexion paused, his fingers massaging Demyx very slowly. "Too much?" Demyx shook his head in response, teal eyes urging Zexion to continue. Zexion's fingers resumed their work while he tried his best to snake his way out of the pajama pants he was wearing.

When the offending cloth was out of the way, Zexion positioned himself at Demyx's hole, which was now slick and wet. Demyx slid his ass into the air, chest pressed against the bed, his hands clenching the sheets tightly as he waited eagerly for Zexion to enter him. Unable to contain himself any longer, Zexion slid his throbbing member inside, biting at his lower lip so hard that he drew blood. He began thrusting, slowly at first, as Demyx began sliding back to match his rhythm. "D-Demyx..." Zexion wanted to say more, to be as articulate during love-making as he was in life, but he simply couldn't. It was too much. The pace quickened, Demyx's breathing matching Zexion's in intensity, their bodies melting into each other as they sought the love they had been without. Surprisingly, before either had the chance to climax, Zexion slid himself out with a little "pop", falling to the bed, chest heaving.

Demyx looked back, still a bit breathless, but concerned. "You aren't in pain are you?" He licked at the blood on Zexion's lower lip, kissing him passionately. Zexion shook his head, diverting his eyes slightly. "No, it's not that..." Demyx began kissing his neck, grinding a painfully hard member against his leg. "Well then why don't you quit being so shy and tell me... what do you _want_ me to do?" Zexion's cheeks flushed again, his eyes drifting back to meet Demyx's. "I... I want you to... to..." Demyx gave him a quick "hm?", and bit at his earlobe. "I want you to ride me like this... I want to see your face when we're..." Zexion couldn't finish the sentence, but the look Demyx was giving him told him that it didn't matter. Without another word, Demyx climbed on top, positioning himself just above Zexion's cock, his expression erotic, teal eyes almost glowing with passion. Demyx let out a groan as he slid himself down, and they began to pick up a pace again. Zexion kept his eyes locked on Demyx as a slender hand reached down to brush the slate hair from his face. "I... I love you, Zexy... I l-lo...a..ah!" Demyx reached his climax, body shivering as he released his seed, spilling it all over himself, and on Zexion's stomach. Leaning down, Demyx kissed Zexion deeply, shaking like crazy. When their lips parted, Demyx began moving his hips again, whispering as erotically as he could to Zexion. "Go on, Zexy... cum..." Zexion felt his stomach tighten, all of his muscles clenching and relaxing as he whimpered under Demyx's touch. Their lips met again when Zexion reached orgasm, Demyx squeezing him dry with subtle movements of his slender hips. Zexion was so out of it he could barely speak, but he managed to pull himself out of it long enough to say "I... love you Demyx... I love you."

**[The next morning]**

Zexion was embarrassed at himself yet again. The sex had been so intense that he and Demyx had passed out on the bed together, sheets all a tangle, with no regard for decency. Sora had walked in on them sleeping, mercifully alone, since Riku was at baseball practice. Before waking them up, Sora snapped a picture with his cell phone, and had been taunting the two of them with it all day.

"You two look _sooooo_ cute!" Sora squealed, his voice almost fangirl-ish, with its high pitch and timbre. Zexion slammed his face into the table, narrowly avoiding his coffee, while Demyx just smiled, somehow not bothered by this picture business. "How can you not care about this?" Zexion asked, exasperated by his lover's sheer lack of humility. Demyx simply shrugged, wrapping an arm around Zexion's waist. "Well, it's a really cute picture. Besides, now that we've taken him out for coffee, Sora is going to quit threatening to show it to people... _aren't you_, Sora?" Sora blushed, nodding before sputtering out a response. "I was never really going to, I just like messing with Zexion. He's cute when he's angry." Demyx shot Sora a look, voice taking on a warning tone as he spoke up. "Hey, Zexy's mine. You have a Riku, go mess with him." Sora shrugged, checking the time on his phone before standing up. "Speaking of Riku, I need to go meet him. Thanks for the coffee, you guys!"

Zexion was massaging the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath before looking back up at Demyx. "I'm glad that's over. So, what are we doing for the rest of the day?" Demyx checked his phone as well, standing up to leave. "Sorry Zexy, but I have class _and_ practice today. Don't worry though-" Demyx bent down, brushing the slate hair away to kiss his lover's cheek. Zexion blushed a deep red when a group of girls nearby squealed. "I have something fun planned for us next weekend. Something you've never experienced. I know you're fascinated by new things, and..." Demyx handed Zexion a piece of paper, and a ticket. "The ticket is for the music festival, and those are directions. Wet Sand got booked to play on the third stage, but that's not the best part. I got you in free as crew, so we can go see all the big bands play and..." Demyx stopped, his face a bit nervous. He leaned back down, whispering to Zexion in a hushed tone. "I got us something to take at the festival. I would understand if you didn't want to do it, and I won't if you don't, but... I've only taken this stuff once, Zexy, and it changed my life. I want to experience it with you." Zexion's face was curious, despite how nervous the prospect made him. He gave Demyx a quick kiss goodbye, pulling him back by the hand to ask "What exactly is it?" Demyx leaned close to his ear, and answered, one simple word before running off to class with a wave. Zexion sat back down, sipping at his coffee, and though carefully about how to proceed. A difficult decision indeed, but... also intriguing.

"Acid."


	8. Festival

By : Shawnathan

Chapter Eight : Festival

[A/N : A bit more AkuRoku in this chapter, which may become a side thing if I get back into this. R & R folks! ]

**[Disclaimer : I own nothing. All credit to Disney/Square Enix]**

A crash ripped through Wet Sand's practice space, a resounding "God damn it!" reverberating off the walls, as Axel threw his guitar down. He usually never did that, treating his instrument like a member of the family, but he had been so frustrated lately that he was having trouble controlling his temper. Ever since they got the booking for the festival, he had been having trouble holding it together. Gritting his teeth, Axel pulled out his cigarettes and lit one, the nicotine providing a little relief. The amp feedback was muting the rest of the world under a blanket of white noise, until he heard a knock at the door. Switching his amp off, Axel placed his guitar gently in its case, apologizing to it mentally, and headed over to the door. As soon as it was open, he caught that familiar glimpse of blonde spikes, smiling a little as Roxas pulled the cigarette from his mouth and stomped it out on the ground outside.

"Axel, how many times do I have to ask you to quit smoking?" Roxas asked, a little annoyed. Axel sighed, waving his boyfriend inside as he strung together a response. "I'm sorry... sort of. I'm having trouble with the new song. Okay that's a lie. I'm nervous about our festival spot." Roxas raised an eyebrow, walking over and taking his boyfriend's hand, plopping down next to him on the couch. "_You_, nervous? You never get nervous, you're... well, _you_." Axel chuckled a little at that, but nodded in a knowing manner as he shot back. "You're right, I don't normally get nervous. This isn't a normal situation, though, so cut me some slack... even though we're on one of the smaller stages for semi-unknowns, this is a big chance for us. I don't want to fuck it up." Roxas was surprised that Axel was pouring out to him like this. Not to say that Axel didn't share his feelings, just not _this_ feeling specifically. He felt like he was seeing a side of Axel he hadn't before, despite how long they had been together. In an attempt to be comforting, Roxas scooted closer, nuzzling himself into Axel's chest, and whispered to him. "You won't fuck it up, babe. You'll fucking destroy, the crowd will love you guys; I know it." Axel's acid green eyes slunk down to meet Roxas', a smile returning to his face. "You really think so?" Roxas nodded sheepishly, blush hitting his cheeks when Axel pulled him closer. "Of course I mean it, stupid, I would tell you if I thought you sucked." Axel busted out laughing at that, sending the two of them into a laughing fit that lasted several minutes. When they had finally managed to calm down, Axel planted a kiss on Roxas' cheek, enjoying the surprised look that always got him.

Roxas pretended to be mad, but that never lasted long when things got like this. Axel began to slink forward, his skinny frame towering over Roxas as he began to plant little kisses everywhere, his free hand rubbing Roxas' crotch. "A-Axel, we can't... w-ah!.. we can't do this h-here... what if the oth-aah..ah!- others show up?" Roxas was trying to resist, but his heart wasn't in it. Axel had been practicing so much lately that they had barely seen each other in two weeks, let alone had an intimate moment. Axel was in full on incubus mode, his mouth attacking Roxas' neck, arguments and protests going right over his head. "Roxas... take your fucking shirt off..." Roxas was already red-faced and blurry-eyed, so he complied as quickly as he was able. Axel was so impatient that he growled as the shirt flew across the room, diving in to kiss Roxas' chest with a renewed vigor. Roxas was so lost in the heat of the moment that he barely felt his pants being undone, or being slid off of him. When their eyes met again, they were both completely stripped nude, but Axel's eyes were more important to Roxas in that moment. They looked like they were glowing, like they were emitting radiation, Axel's expression was so intense. Roxas let out a whimper, but it was one of anticipation. Axel caught the hint of expectancy in Roxas' tone, a feral growl building in his chest as he bent down for a passionate kiss.

**[Back at Twilight U ...]**

The calm and quiet of the library were doing little to calm Zexion's inner turmoil, his eyes staring off into space, rather than the laptop screen or the open books on the table. He had been doing classwork with a renewed tenacity, spending many a late hour in the library, giving Demyx the time to practice for the festival. Zexion let out a sigh, closing his laptop, and paused to think. He had done research in his spare time, regarding Demyx's request.

Lysergic acid diethylamide, known more commonly as Acid; a semi-synthetic drug of the ergoline family. Psychological effects included altered thinking processes, open and closed eye visuals, synesthesia, and an altered sense of time. Zexion had been thinking about it a lot, weighing the possibilities as he read through people's experiences on the net, both good and bad. There was the inevitable horror story, the infamous "bad trip", but even those didn't really do much to deter his curiosity. Zexion trusted his boyfriend, and this was really important to Demyx. Beyond that, Zexion was becoming more and more intrigued by the prospect of hallucinating. He concluded that when Demyx came to him after Wet Sand's set, dragging him toward the main stage to see John Butler Trio, he would make his decision. It was going to be a potentially life-altering choice, so he felt that making it with Demyx next to him was the only right way. Gathering his things, Zexion made his way back to the dorms, flopping down uselessly on his bed.

Sora peeked up from under a sleeping Riku's chest, eyeballing his roommate with some small measure of concern. "Zexy, are you okay?" He whispered, not wanting to wake Riku and disturb the bed of silver hair he was resting his head on. Zexion groaned in response, his body barely shifting a centimeter. Sora sighed, trying to speak quietly. "I'm worried about you, Zexion. You're running yourself into the ground, barely sleeping at all some nights... what's wrong?" Zexion turned his head and made eye contact with Sora.

Zexion knew that the brunette was a perpetually happy-go-lucky, empathetic, and sensitive person... but, knowing that he really cared enough to say something was kind of... nice. He smiled at Sora, trying not to seem embarrassed. "It's not so much that something is wrong... my studies are on track, and things with Demyx have been great, but..." Zexion leveled his voice, and tried to remain vague. He knew that saying too much to Sora was a risk; Sora was as kindhearted as they came, but couldn't control the flow of words coming out of his mouth sometimes. "Demyx has something planned for us after Wet Sand plays their set at the festival. He wants to take me to see his favorite band, and... let's say he got us something to take, for recreational use. Catch my drift here, kid?" Sora stuck his tongue out, but nodded for Zexion to continue. Zexion let his eyes fall to the bed as he let his voice drone on. "I think I'm going to say yes, and go on a journey of sorts with Demyx. I'm a little scared, but I'm also excited. Dem once described it as life-changing, so I'm sure you understand my apprehension."

Taking several long minutes to think about all of that, Sora finally delivered a hushed response. "I think you should do what you feel is right, Zexion. I don't want you to hurt yourself, or get involved too heavily in that world, but I trust that you know what is best for you. I won't think badly of you for doing... whatever it is you plan on doing."

A deep breath was required, and a few more minutes of silence, before Zexion spoke again. "I really appreciate that, Sora. Your concern for me is an admirable trait... I hope you are right wh-" Before he could finish his thought, Zexion was cut off; by Riku.

"Whatever it is, be sure that you set limits for yourself, and always be around at least one person you trust. You can never be too careful." Riku glanced down at Sora, kissing his forehead before closing his eyes again.

Zexion rolled over, facing the wall to indicate that the conversation was over. It wouldn't do him any good to dwell on it now, the time for decision making would be at hand soon enough. Pacing his breathing, Zexion allowed unconsciousness to take him, his head spinning from how tired he had been. He dreamed a strange dream that involved walking on water with Demyx, and exploring some Atlantean ruins with him. The whole thing was rather bizarre, but Zexion went with the flow, and it all seemed really peaceful to him. Taking it as a positive sign, he went to class refreshed the next day, having left a note on Sora's forehead before departing. Satisfied that he had gotten his point across, Zexion had waved to a slowly-waking Riku, and left. It read;

_Dear Sora, _

_Thanks for being really cool. Love you, kid._

_P.S. - Riku, you're cool too._

**[Wet Sand's practice space, 12:00 noon, the day of the festival]**

Axel was staring at the ground, sweat dripping from the tip of his nose, breath ragged. Demyx was nearly panting, a sheen of sweat covering his bare back, giving his band-mates a look of surprise and awe. After a lengthy pause, it was Axel who spoke first. "That was... that was it, you guys. If we can play our set today like we just did here, then I will have no regrets." Demyx began gathering up his gear, packing it all into their van securely before pulling Axel aside, dragging him outside for a word in private.

Checking around for any prying ears, Demyx finally let on what was bothering him. "Axel, I have the acid, and... I'm going to take it tonight, after we've played, with Zexion." He stared at the ground, unable to look Axel in the eye. Axel was the last person who would judge him where drug use was concerned, but Demyx couldn't seem to strip the feeling of anxiousness that had crept up on him. He cleared his throat, and continued. "I'm scared. I had such an amazing experience last time, with the band... but..." Demyx paused briefly, swallowed the knot that was forming in his throat. "It's different this time, Ax. I love him, and I want to share this with him, but... I don't want him to feel pressured, or to freak out and have a bad trip." Axel had stood in silence, waiting for Demyx to get it all off of his chest, before stepping in closer and placing a hand on one bare shoulder.

"I know how you feel kid, believe me, but Zexion's a big boy... sort of. The little professor would never agree to do anything he didn't want to, especially drugs, he isn't that kind of person. If he agrees to this, it's because he _wants_ it. Got it memorized?" Axel saw the relief wash across Demyx's face as he removed his hand, leaning back against the van and pulling out a cigarette. Rather than place it in his mouth and light it, he simply stared at it, seemingly lost in some raging mental debate. Demyx noticed, and asked what was up with the spooky face. Axel's head drooped, and he let out a big sigh. "Roxas is helping me quit. He said cold turkey would never work for someone like me, so I'm getting off of them slowly... I'm only allowed three a day, and I already smoked one." Shrugging his shoulders, Axel flipped his lighter out and struck a flame, lighting the cigarette. Inhaling deeply, he tried not to savor it, but that was impossible at this point. "I guess I'm saving the last one for after the show today. No matter how it goes, I'm gonna need one." Demyx chuckled, shaking with silent laughter. Annoyed, Axel ruffled the boy's spikes, growling "what's so funny?"

Hands resting on his hips, playing at the corners of his low-cut jeans, Demyx responded, just hoping it wouldn't sound like an insult. "I just think it's cute is all, knowing you as well as I do, that you... you're just wrapped around Roxas' little finger. You really love him don't you?" Axel smirked, letting out an indignant snort. All the same, the redhead was now blushing and avoiding eye contact. That was answer enough for Demyx. Feeling a lot better after that exchange, he headed back to the apartment to shower and change. He wanted to be perfect for the show tonight... and for Zexion afterward.

**[4:28 PM, Festival grounds, backstage]**

Zexion and Roxas had flashed badges to get in with Wet Sand, helping them transport gear to the backstage area while the opening acts of stage three were playing. Zexion didn't want to be in the way, so after all of the gear was situated and ready to move into place, he sat in the corner and played with his cell phone. Roxas seemed to notice that he was taking refuge in technology and being a bit antisocial, but didn't pester him about it, just giving him a sympathetic look. Before Zexion could answer the look with a polite nod or gesture of some kind, someone stepped in front of him... it was Demyx, and he looked... _gorgeous_. The blonde hair was in the same crazy style as before, but Demyx had chosen a somewhat subtle outfit. A white tank top that must have been for women, but suited his thin frame very well, which featured a crashing wave across the front. A pair of tight jeans that he had converted to shorts, featuring his trademark rips and holes. Rings, bracelets, wristbands, and even a choker adorned Demyx's body. Zexion gulped, almost dropping his phone as he was helped to his feet.

Demyx was blushing and looking away shyly as he spoke. "Wh-what do you think, Zexy?" Zexion seemed a bit taken aback, but answered as best he could. "Is that a serious question, Dem? You look beautiful... I'd have you right here if you didn't need to play this show." Zexion's face burned bright red when he realized what he'd just said. Mercifully, everyone else in the immediate vicinity seemed to be too preoccupied to have heard him.

Demyx brushed the hair from Zexion's face, a little ritual of his, and leaned in for a kiss. Zexion stood on his tiptoes, putting all of his feelings for the spacey blonde in the forefront of his mind, trying to convey exactly how he felt with his lips and tongue. When they parted, Demyx had a look of absolute peace spread across his face, the picture of serenity. Zexion started to wish him good luck, but Demyx held a finger to his lips to silence him. "It's alright Zexy, I know... I heard you. I _felt_ you. I don't need good luck, we've got this." He leaned in for a whisper, lingering for a moment to nibble at Zexion's earlobe. "I love you, and I hope your ready for the most amazing night of your life, babe. See you soon." With that, Demyx turned and headed toward the stage with the rest of Wet Sand.

There was a decent sized crowd at this point, since they had the best time slot. Headlining stage three was still headlining somewhere, and it was still a big deal. Axel adjusted the microphone as the rest of the band set up and adjusted various gear, his guitar already tuned and ready. Turning to the crowd, he raised his picking hand, the crowd's attention focusing on him. Breathing in deeply, Axel bellowed out in his most overconfident and cocky voice yet. "Hello, festival-goers! Are you ready to get lost in the waves?" There was thunderous applause, Axel grinning his sly grin as the rest of the band took their positions. "Good! We're kicking things off with a cover, so let's do this-" Nodding to the rest of the group, Axel began picking at the notes to his favorite song, stepping forward to the microphone, voice flowing out of him with such stunning precision that the crowd was lost in awe.

_We all have a weakness,  
but some of ours are easy to identify  
Look me in the eye_

_and ask for forgiveness;  
We'll make a pact to never speak that word again  
Yes you are my friend_

_We all have something that digs at us,  
at least we dig each other  
So when weakness turns my ego up  
I know you'll count on the me from yesterday  
If I turn into another~_

_Dig me up from under what is covering  
the better part of me  
Sing this song  
Remind me that we'll always have each other  
When everything else is gone_

_We all have a sickness  
That cleverly attaches and multiplies  
No matter how we try_

_We all have someone that digs at us,  
at least we dig each other  
So when sickness turns my ego up  
I know you'll act as a clever medicine  
If I turn into another~_

_Dig me up from under what is covering  
the better part of me  
Sing this song!  
Remind me that we'll always have each other  
When everything else is gone  
Oh each other...  
When everything else is gone_

Rather than end the song the normal way, Axel let a note ring out, and Demyx's sitar dove in to begin an interesting interlude that wasn't a normal part of the song. They brought it back for one last powerful chorus, and had completely won the crowd over. Axel handed his guitar to Luxord so that he could take his shirt off and throw it to some screaming girls; Roxas wouldn't like that one, but then again Roxas was sexy when he was angry. Zexion watched from the backstage area as Wet Sand broke into their set, noting the fact that their performance was boosted by the positive response they were getting, feeding off of the crowd's energy. When they were approaching the last song, Demyx joined the rhythm section in providing a subtle background, another interlude of sorts... only this time it led to the new song, and Axel's most difficult guitar solo. Axel seemed to struggle but didn't miss a single note, dropping to his knees, and eventually to his back as his fingers danced frantically across the fretboard. The fans were going wild, applauding and shouting for more as Axel threw his arms up and screamed at the darkening sky.

Zexion was waiting patiently for Demyx behind the scenes, rushing out to move the equipment off of the stage, and tossing the spiky blonde a towel. Demyx let out a sigh of relief, wiping a light sheen of sweat from his face and neck, casting Zexion an appreciative glance. Once the gear had been packed back up and ready for the road, Zexion found himself being dragged into the backseat of the van by a still-buzzing Demyx, and felt soft lips crushing against his own. When they parted, Zexion smiled at his lover, gazing deeply into the teal orbs before him. Demyx stared back, whispering in a tone that Zexion recognized all too well. "That was so intense Zexy, I've never felt like that on stage before... it was like I could feel the people's energy. It was... almost turning me on." Zexion raised an eyebrow, but found himself kissing Demyx back playfully as he responded. "I quite enjoyed your music tonight, love. It was a powerful performance."

Demyx smiled his goofy smile, but quickly blushed and looked away when his crotch rubbed against Zexion's. "Wait, Zexy. Believe me, I want to... I _really_ want to... but there's a band coming up that we can't miss. They're phenomenal, and they inspire me _so_ much." Adjusting their bodies so that the friction couldn't get the better of them, Demyx continued. "Also, there's the thing we talked about before. Would you be willing to trip with me Zexion? I've decided that if you aren't comfortable with it, then I won't be doing it either. I'll give it all to Axel or something, or sell it." Zexion took Demyx's hands in his own, sitting up straight and pulling Demyx up with him, taking a deep breath as he worked up the courage to say what he needed to say.

"Demyx, I love you, and that was a major factor in helping me decide what to do here. However, it wasn't the only factor. As you know, I'm a naturally curious person, and I'm always trying to learn something new, experience new things... I've actually thought about what it would be like to try hallucinogens before, but never had access to them." Zexion held a hand to Demyx's cheek, kissing him gently before concluding. "I can think of no better set of circumstances, no better situation to be in, than this... I love you, and I trust you. My answer is yes." Demyx was staring back at him in awe, but regained his senses quickly and reached into the front of the car, stretching out to pull a small bit of aluminum foil out of the glove box. Zexion watched as the foil was unfolded carefully, revealing two tiny little strips of paper, three squares across. Demyx locked eyes with him again, face calm, and whispered "You're sure, Zexy?" Zexion nodded, staring into the glowing teal eyes in front of him and sticking his tongue out. Demyx nodded back, placing one strip on his own tongue, the other on Zexion's.

Without another word, Demyx grabbed Zexion tightly and pulled him along toward the main stage. The headlining act, the John Butler Trio, wouldn't be going on for another twenty or so minutes, but Demyx wanted to find the best spot possible. There were already crowds gathering, and the band's crew were setting up the lights and doing a sound check. Demyx found them a couple seats in the section behind the floor, with a good view of the stage. They slid into their seats, Zexion's face a little red from how close they were. Demyx leaned in to whisper to his shy boyfriend, brushing the hair from his face. "It's going to kick in soon, about midway through the first song. It'll probably feel strange to you... strong body high; you'll feel either really heavy or really light. Then the visuals will come. They start slow, and then gradually increase until you start peaking. It's going to get... _intense_... for a while."

Zexion nodded, already feeling somewhat strange. He was, understandably enough, a bit nervous. Having Demyx next to him though, clinging to him tightly, was enough to clear Zexion's mind of all worry. The band walked on stage to tumultuous applause, picking up various instruments and taking their positions. The band's lead songwriter, John Butler, was playing an extremely battered, aged, twelve-string acoustic guitar. The crowd simmered down as a chord was struck, the opening track seemingly an acoustic instrumental. Zexion watched on and listened to the sounds as his body began to feel strangely light. By the time the third song began, his vision was beginning to blur, the straight lines and edges of the stage waving and pulsing. Halfway through the set, Zexion felt he was starting to peak, the entire world warping around him, his senses overloading... until he felt a familiar soft sensation on his lips. Demyx was kissing him, but... his world was becoming a swirling array of insanity, such that he could not determine what he was looking at anymore. Kissing back with a deep need and desire, Zexion moved on his sense of touch alone, spiraling fractals obscuring his field of vision now.

Demyx was seeing the floor start to flow, like the current of the ocean, glittering crystalline shapes sliding across its surface. Pulling away ever so slightly, he wrapped his arms around Zexion, whispering quietly to him. "Just go with the flow, Zexy. I don't know about you, but I'm seeing some interesting stuff... I feel like we're somehow floating on the ocean, adrift at sea." Taking a moment to kiss Zexion's collarbone, or at least what he assumed to be his collarbone, Demyx continued. "I'm going to take your hand and pull you out into the lawn area so we can lay together. Just follow my lead and don't lose my hand, okay?"

Unable to respond, Zexion simply stood as commanded, and held on tight as Demyx pulled him out into the field. A stunning sight all its own, the field was like a primordial mass of green energy, moving to the flow of the music. "Demyx, do you even-" Before Zexion could finish his sentence, he was pulled down into the cool grass, Demyx clinging to him tightly. He felt lips on his own again, teal eyes literally glowing now in front of his own as he felt the hair being brushed from his face. Demyx was grinding against his leg, tongue fighting for dominance before he knew what hit him. When the kiss broke, Zexion somehow found Demyx's eyes, maintaining clarity long enough to say "You have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen Dem... they're glowing like stars..." Demyx smiled wide, staring right back at him, expression intense and full of lust.

"If my eyes are stars, yours are the night sky... azure, so deep and mysterious; they're what first drew me to you." Demyx whispered, rubbing himself a little more intently against Zexion's leg. "I-I don't... know if I can hold it. I really need t-to..." Zexion seemed to sense what he meant, as he felt a hand sliding up his shirt. They weren't the only couple sprawled out in the grass, and probably weren't the only ones under the influence of something, Demyx thought as the pleasure hit him; the feeling of arousal was driving his visual hallucinations in a beautiful new direction. Every little tingle or wave of arousal caused a ripple effect, distorting the borders of Demyx's field of vision distorting even further. He was so unsure of his surroundings, but none of it mattered under the current circumstances. A familiar heat was forming in his stomach, his hips sliding in rhythm as Zexion's arms wrapped around him lovingly, the pressure building up as his breath became ragged.

Zexion felt himself growing hard at the thought of Demyx grinding against him. His eyes were displaying nothing but chaos, but... it was amazing. Energy rippled off solid objects in waves, the stars in the sky practically flying past, forming vast nameless constellations. Using instinct alone, Zexion located Demyx's earlobe and nibbled at it, his face flaming up as Demyx moaned erotically into his in return.

Demyx's body shook as his orgasm hit him, spilling his seed in his pants, biting his bottom lip as he clutched at Zexion's shirt for dear life. He slowly regained control of himself as his breath evened out, moaning seductively at Zexion. "Aaaah...Z-Zexy, I... I'm sorry, aahmmhm... I couldn't stop m-myself." Zexion was laying back in the grass, staring up at the sky, holding onto him.

The stars and fracturing galaxies spinning past him were throwing off Zexion's sense of time, but Demyx's breath on his chest kept him centered enough to remain calm. Speaking in a clear and concise tone, he tried to articulate what it was he was going through. "This is amazing, I... I can't even begin to describe it to you. I'm witnessing the formation and destruction of whole galaxies..." Zexion paused, his nose and lips tickling Demyx's neck, voice lowering and pitch shifting to express how turned on he was. "... and I get to witness all that while hearing you, and feeling you, dry hump me until you cum in your pants." His voice hitched in his throat before he could say more, Demyx's hand suddenly down the front of his pants. He wanted to say something, to protest, but the sensation was too great. Zexion found himself arching into Demyx's hand, whose tongue suddenly found itself exploring his mouth. He didn't even have the time to moan or beg for mercy before he was leaking onto Demyx's hand. The slick feeling became too much for him, climax sending waves of endorphins in to supplement his visuals and cloud his mind; it was the most unbelievable thing he had ever been a part of, which was saying a lot.

Face heavily set with blush, eyes cloudy, Demyx did what he could to remain in control so he could tell Zexion the only thing that he needed to say at that moment. "I love you Zexy. Thank you so much for coming tonight, and being a part of this. I'm so happy I could die. I... I want you to be mine forever."

Zexion's eyes widened, a flash of teal accompanying the feel of Demyx's lips on his own. "Demyx, I... I love you too, and... I..." Struggling to maintain control as the visuals continued, slowly but surely waning in intensity, Zexion searched until he got a clear lock on Demyx's face, and those bright teal eyes. "I want to be yours..." Both pairs of eyes watered as he held Demyx's hand, watching his face come back into focus. "W-will... " He swallowed what little fear was left to inhibit him, and found the courage to ask his question. "Demyx, will you marry me?"

**[A/N: I own none of the artist's names, nor songs names or lyrics, used in this story. Just some music I enjoy. Song lyrics of the cover played by Wet Sand belong to Incubus. Track #3 off of their 2006 masterpiece "Light Grenades".]**


	9. Ex-Lives

By : Shawnathan

Chapter Nine : Ex-Lives

[A/N : I think I may be getting excited about this again... R & R plz ]

**[Disclaimer : I own nothing. All credit to Disney/Square Enix]**

A beam of light broke through the window of Twilight University's eastern dorm, stirring its occupants into a state of semi-consciousness, a translucent "3:13 PM" displayed on the T.A.R.D.I.S. themed clock that rested on Zexion's bedside table. The events of the festival had been so intense, so overwhelming... much recovery time was needed after such an experience. Zexion stretched, feeling tendons stretch and joints pop as he yawned loudly. His senses had been in such a state of rapid and dynamic stimulation that he felt numb now, almost like he was under an anesthetic. Searching his mind, all in vain, Zexion found nothing... nothing he could say in any language would describe his experiences with Demyx, hallucinating an- Demyx! He had almost forgotten about the blonde goofball in his moment of contemplation. Luckily, he looked down and found a mess of blonde spikes buried in his chest. Demyx loved to do that for some reason, always snuggling up to him. Before this relationship, Zexion hadn't really understood the need for physical intimacy outside of sex. It hadn't translated well into his brain for some reason, and was probably a decisive reason for his previous relationships ending the way they did. Before he had time to dwell on those thoughts any further, Demyx started to wriggle around, struggling to move; Demyx was always like that in the mornings.

"Good morning sunshine." Zexion said, his deadpan voice dripping with sarcasm. He had just made a joke... sort of. Well that was new. Demyx groaned, reaching a hand up theatrically before finally committing to sitting up.

Demyx's head hurt, but not too bad. It had been a while since the last time he had taken a hallucinogen, and he'd forgotten how extraordinary it was... and how strained he felt afterward. It took a real toll on the body and mind, but it was entirely worth it as far as Demyx was concerned. He would remember that night for the rest of his life, even more so the way that it had ended...

**[12:25 PM Saturday night, the festival grounds]**

The question had come out of Zexion so suddenly that Demyx had sat in stunned silence for several moments. He had briefly considered that Zexion was just joking, or at least trying to, but the look in his eyes had suggested otherwise. Demyx's throat felt tight, the familiar knot forming, tears obscuring the vision that was only now returning to normal. "A-Are you... are you serious Zexion?" Demyx could still hardly believe it, cheeks ablaze with blush as he waited for a response from his lover, looking into one beautiful azure eye.

It took another few moments before Zexion was able to respond, but he had sat up in an effort to be somewhat serious, still holding Demyx's hand tightly. "What I said, I meant... I have been in relationships, I have dated, I have had sex, but... it all pales in comparison to what I have with you." He held Demyx's hand up to his lips, kissing it gently in an attempt at romanticism. "I want to make you mine for keeps, and this seems like the best way; you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I need you in my life. I love you, you silly blonde space-case, with more passion and intensity than I have ever loved another, or ever will. Will you be my... husband?" Zexion had hesitated, lingering on that last word, as it felt a bit strange rolling off the tongue. He certainly never thought he would be proposing to anyone, let alone _this_ person, in _this_ situation. He only hoped that it wasn't too soon, and that Demyx was as crazy in love as he was. Staring deeply into the teal eyes he loved so much, Zexion waited for a response... the ultimate response to the ultimate question, where love was concerned.

Demyx was practically choking, unable to contain himself. Husband? Zexion wanted to marry him? Processing the information was so difficult, but he knew he had to do it. Sitting up, Demyx wiped frantically at his eyes, squeezing Zexion's hand gently between his slender fingers. "I... Zexy, I'm so... this is..." He paused again, taking a moment to collect his thoughts, scattered as they often were. He loved Zexion, more than he had ever loved anyone else. That was enough right? They were both responsible adults... well, Zexion was. If this was what they wanted, who could deny them? Finally resolute, Demyx wiped his eyes clear once more before finally giving Zexion his answer. Leaning into a brief kiss, Demyx maneuvered to whisper the words into Zexion's ear, hugging him tightly and pulling him back down to the ground. "I love you more than anything else in this world Zexion, and I would be honored to be your husband. Please take good care of me."

The two embraced tightly in the grass, the rest of the world forgotten in that moment. The lights, the music, heads spinning as hallucinations gradually wore off... all were made void by the that one simple question and answer, silly as it seemed to Zexion. The pulsing in his head was slowly but surely beginning to die down, his muscles finally relaxing a little, when another thought hit him. He was now betrothed... he had a fiance. That was going to be some interesting news to present to his father, and what about Demyx's family? Zexion knew nothing about them, and had never met any of them. After a thought loop ensued, and began to make his head spin a little, he concluded that those issues could wait for another day, far in the future. For now, Zexion was content to hold his lover close, kissing at his forehead as the coolness of the wet grass eased their bodies' collective tension. Demyx let out what sounded like a sob, which made Zexion concerned for a moment, until their eyes reconnected. The expression he was met with was one of pure joy; elation in its purest and most authentic form. Smiling back, Zexion thought to himself that he had a new picture definition for the word "rapture".

**[Zexion's dorm, 3:20 PM Sunday]**

Demyx sat up, spikes all pointed to one side, the sensation of his feet touching the ground waking him up a little bit more. He turned to Zexion, smiling his brightest smile as the realization hit him again, like a punch. He was going to be married! It was such an exciting prospect, one that wouldn't have occurred to him before Zexion. Reaching out gently, he gave Zexion's shoulder a playful shove. "Good morning to you too, Zexy. Thanks for letting me stay here... I..." Demyx paused momentarily to adjust his hair, blushing awkwardly at the thought of how ridiculous it must have looked. "I didn't want to leave you after... well, you know..." He trailed off again, simply staring into Zexion's exposed eye, as had become his little ritual; his face, his body language, they all said more than his words ever could.

Body weight shifting to a more comfortable position, Zexion sat up next to Demyx, leaning onto his slender shoulder. "It's okay. You already know Sora doesn't care if you stay over. More to the point, I wanted you here." Zexion took hold of Demyx's hand as he spoke, his voice as confident as his face was proud. They had shared a brief kiss or two, subtle promises for more forming in their heads as each pulled away and rose to their feet. Zexion hadn't relinquished his hold on Demyx's hand, and followed him downstairs to the coffee shop in the dorm's ground floor. Zexion had chosen a simple black t-shirt and pajama pants to sleep in, which was fine with him for going out in public, but Demyx... was still wearing the same top from last night, and had changed into a pair of Daisy Duke jean shorts. Zexion wanted to reproach Demyx for the choice of attire, but he was somehow incapable. The sight was too much for him to possibly complain about. He blushed and directed his eyes to the ground when his stares earned him a "my eyes are up here, Zexy" from Demyx.

Zexion had offered to pay for their coffee, and found a decent place to sit, leaning back to back with Demyx on one of the couches. They had a great many things they might mull over together, and coffee seemed as good a start as any. Zexion cleared his throat after sipping silently for a while. "Do you feel as numb as I do? Is that normal?" He felt stupid starting the conversation that way, but it was something he legitimately _did_ want to know.

Chuckling a bit, Demyx sipped happily at his latte, toes curling and stretching out, sandals forgotten on the floor somewhere. "Yes, it's normal Zexy, I promise. It'll fade in a few hours, if not then by tonight for sure." The caffeine was starting to do its job, Demyx's chatterbox side kicking in spontaneously. "So, I have a really cool idea Zexy! Hear me out before you judge, okay?" He waited for a moment, sipping his latte again before continuing. "I don't want you to feel pressured to buy an expensive ring, I honestly don't think either of us needs a bill like that right now... but there is another way." Zexion gave him a "hm?", which was enough of a signal for Demyx to continue. "Well, I thought it would be cool to get tattoos on our ring fingers. They don't have to be the same thing, or even match at all; just something to remind us of each other."

Zexion let out a skeptical sigh, back muscles stretching a little as he turned around, allowing Demyx's head to rest in his lap. "I'm not sure sure how I feel about that. I'm not opposed to the idea of getting a tattoo, but I don't know if I want one on my hand, at least not yet." Stroking Demyx's spikes, Zexion continued. "Maybe after we graduate. I have several positions being offered to me in the literary world, giving me options. There's a chance something like this wouldn't affect my standing, depending on which scenario fits best. Also-" Demyx had rolled over and crawled up toward him, face excited, so Zexion had put a finger to Demyx's lips to silence him. "I reserve the right to buy you a ring of some kind in the future, when I have a decent job and am making good money."

There was a pause, the sounds of coffee shop hustle and bustle being tuned out by both of them, Demyx kissing playfully at Zexion's fingers. "Okay, Zexy... acknowledgment and acceptance of terms." Demyx laughed when Zexion raised an eyebrow, burying his face in Zexion's shirt. "Internet." His response was greeted with laughs, the two of them cuddling up together.

Most of the students that were crowding around had gone, so Zexion took the opportunity to bring up the other thing that had been on his mind. "Demyx, will I... will I ever get the chance to meet your family?" He hoped that it was the right time to ask such a thing; family was a touchy subject for some people, and it had somehow never come up before, so he had no way of predicting how Demyx would react. "I would understand if you didn't want to talk about it, but..."

Demyx shook his head, draining the last of his latte before responding. "No, it's okay Zexy. It's kinda weird that we never really talked about my family, so..." He absentmindedly plucked at the frayed edges of his shorts, taking a deep breath. "I don't really have a family. Not anymore." It had come out in such a cold way, without emotion behind it, which was not normal for Demyx. The sheer bluntness of it had clearly thrown Zexion off, because he was hesitating to offer a reply. "I never met my biological parents... I was adopted at a young age, and raised by a nice family, but..."

Zexion sensed that this was painful for Demyx to talk about, just the landmine he was trying _not_ to step on. "Dem, you don't have to tell me, I'm sorry... I was afraid family might be a sore subject.-"

"No, you should probably hear this. If we're really going to get married, then I don't want there to any secrets between us." Demyx didn't usually cut people off when they were talking, least of all Zexion, who had clearly realized, motioning for him to continue. "Sorry for interrupting you Zexy. Anyway..." He drew in a large breath, exhaling slowly and taking a moment before continuing his explanation. "You once told me that you've never felt anything for another guy before me. Well, unfortunately, for me, that isn't how things went... I've always been... well, gay." Demyx's toes curled up, his body balling up as he told his least favorite story. Only Axel and Roxas had ever been privy to this information. "The family that adopted me treated me really well. They supported my love of music, even paid for piano lessons when I was young. They got me into decent schools and helped me get accepted here, but... they hate me now." Just thinking about it all was making him sick. Zexion looked like he had been suddenly hit in the back of the head with a crowbar.

Wishing that there was more time to process all of this, Zexion wrapped an arm around Demyx and held him, hoping it would help. "How could anyone hate you, Demyx? You're such a nice person to everyone; I don't think I've ever even seen you get angry, as a matter of fact. What could you have possibly done?" Zexion felt Demyx shake a little and scoot closer, so he waited patiently for the next revelation.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Demyx continued his woeful tale. "Well, I didn't grow up an only child. The family that adopted me had a son of their own, about a year before they found me. My... mother, she... complications during her pregnancy made it so that she could never bear a child again." His eyes were getting hazy again, tears blurring out the coffee shop around them. "They didn't want their son to grow up alone, and they wanted another child, so they took me in. We got along really well from the beginning, my brother and I... I was happy just being what they wanted me to be, happy being _wanted_ at all." Demyx bit his lower lip to hold back a whine, sniffling a bit before drawing in another deep breath. "They never kept my adoption a secret from me, always telling me that it didn't matter, that I would always be their son... and Saix would always be my brother. Saix was always really nice to me growing up, and fiercely protective. W-Well, one day..." Demyx took another moment to collect his thoughts, gladly taking the tissue a waitress offered him after she'd seen him crying. Upon thanking her, he took up the task of finishing the story. "One day, senior year of high school, I got into a situation... there were these bullies, I think you can guess why they always gave me trouble. Anyway, they cornered me behind the building, and were threatening to beat me up. Before I could even scream or anything, Saix was there... I never even saw him approach us, he was so fast... I had to pull him away from them, he was so mad, yelling at the top of his lungs, even _growling_. There was blood all over his school uniform... and none of it was his. When he had calmed down a little, we ditched class and he walked me home."

Zexion held up a hand to interject. "I still don't see where this is going. I'm really sorry that all of these things happened to you, but why would anyone hate you for-" Demyx took Zexion's hand, holding it tight, and soldiered on.

"The house was deserted, we were alone... upstairs in Saix's room, and Saix insisted on checking me for bruises or wounds, but when he tried to I... I kissed him. I know it's messed up, we were supposed to be brothers, but it wasn't spontaneous. I had been attracted to him for a while before that, and was trying my best not to act on it. I thought I was in the wrong, but Saix... he looked down at me and his eyes just said _yes_. I tried to tell myself that it was gross, that I should feel bad, but... I wanted it, and unbelievably, so did Saix. One thing led to another, and... he took me. Our parents walked in on us having sex. After that, they kicked me out of the house and disowned me. I've been on my own since then. If Axel hadn't offered to let me crash on his couch, or asked me to join his band, I don't know what might have become of me. I was really depressed about it for a long time, but was finally able to put it behind me... when I met you." Drawing another labored breath, Demyx dropped his gaze, hoping that this would not have ruined one of the few good things in his life. "That's it. They hate me now, and they were the only family I had... who knows what they did to Saix. They had threatened him with military school the last time he'd gotten into a fight." He felt ashamed, and sick... he hoped he never had to tell this story again. "You're all that I have Zexion. You and the band, a small circle of friends... you are all that I have in the world."

**[5:45 PM – Wet Sand's practice space]**

The sound of feedback had never been sweeter, Demyx thought as he tuned up to his preferred solo tuning, making small adjustments here and there to Axel's settings. He didn't play guitar super often, but when he was worried or scared, nothing helped him pour his soul out better. Axel was never opposed to letting him use the guitar and amp, and practice had already been over for a bit; the others had left Demyx to his brooding, heading out in search of food. He picked softly at first, a gentle chord pattern that he sometimes sang to, but his pace quickly became violent, his fingers bending notes so hard he almost snapped a string. He was in a shitty mood because of the story he'd shared with Zexion, still worried that it might somehow jeopardize their relationship. Zexion had said "the past is the past", and waved it off. As far as Zexy was concerned, it needn't affect their plans, or their love for one another. Demyx wanted to feel that way too, but that story brought certain feelings with it. Longing for his first love, and for his family, or at least the people who used to call themselves his family. Saix had meant a lot to him... they had almost kissed on several occasions before the fateful night, and even slept in the same bed a few times, but they had managed to explain all that away before their parents became any more suspicious.

Placing Axel's guitar back on the stand, Demyx attempted to shake the thoughts from his mind, switching off the amp and diving onto the nearest couch. It would hurt Zexion if he were to dwell on Saix much longer, but his brain refused to let the subject go. He decided to smoke a bowl, hoping the high would calm him down enough to be able to handle dealing with the torrent of emotional distress in his head. He ended up running his fingers haphazardly across the band's keyboard, blonde spikes drooping a little as if to illustrate his poor mood. "May as well be a raincloud over my head like in those old cartoons." Demyx said to himself, eyes shooting open when he heard a knock at the door. He might not have been concerned normally, but Axel and the others didn't knock, they just entered freely. Another loud knock made him jump, almost falling off of the couch to the floor, frantically adjusting his clothes and hair as he struggled to normalize his appearance. He sprayed Febreeze all over the room in an effort to negate the smell of hash in the air, couching loudly before yelling "Just a second please!" to whoever was at the door. After stumbling over various cables and gear to get to the front door, Demyx ran a hand through his spikes, taking a deep breath and opening the door with a bit of a fake smile. "Hello? How can I..." Demyx froze, unable to move or speak, scarcely able to breathe. The long blue hair and piercing golden eyes, the face that he thought he knew, save for the large x-shaped scar... the bestial aura, the same smell even... but, there was no way. It couldn't possibly be... could it? "S-Saix, is that you?"


End file.
